Barely forty-eight hours to the planned nationwide protest over hunger and hardship, some angry youths in Suleja, a commercial hub in Niger State, on Monday, vented their anger over socio-economic hardship, trooping out in their numbers to protest.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This is coming as panic has gathered momentum over the planned nationwide protest.
The youths trooped out to the town along Kaduna road to protest their frustrations over escalating cost of living crisis in Nigeria.
Daily Independent learnt that the protesters with placards bearing messages such as ‘Enough is enough’, ‘Stop all anti-masses policies’, ‘We are not slaves in our country’, ‘Fuel subsidy must be reversed’, among others, marched through the commercial city as they chanted anti-government slogans.
The protest, though peaceful, Daily Independent learnt disrupted vehicular movements in the commercial city while some traders apparently out of fear of molestations and looting quickly closed their shops for the day.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger State command, SP Wasiu A. Abiodun, confirmed that “some boys were sighted along Kaduna road in Suleja attempting to block the road”.
The area commander of Suleja, according to the PPRO, swiftly moved in with his team of anti-riot policemen to the scene and dispersed them.
Abiodun, however, told journalists that monitoring and intervention is still ongoing to forestall possible challenges that may arise due to rising tension in Suleja.
The PPRO nevertheless urged lawabiding members of the public to go about their lawful businesses without any fear, as the police and other security agencies are up and doing in case of any eventualities.
Meanwhile, Niger State government has assured all lawabiding citizens to continue their legitimate businesses without fear of harassment or intimidation as the government remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor (Print Media), Aisha Wakaso, said the Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago led administration will continue to prioritise initiatives that are targeted at alleviating the hardship citizens are grappling with.
Protest Panic Gathers Momentum Nationwide
Following the nationwide protest, panic has enveloped the country.
Dr. Wale Omole, President of National Problems and Solutions, a non-government organisation, said Nigerians are watching the process as they fear it may affect businesses.
He said, “While Nigerians have the right to protest, there are indications that businesses will be negatively affected. Owners of small-scale businesses will be highly affected by the protest.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to find a way to avert this protest by listening and addressing issues raised.
“One of such is to return to the subsidy era which I think is not impossible. The government should not be ashamed of retracting its steps for the good of the nation. They should ensure that refineries are working before subsidy removal”.
Dr. Julius Elemike, a pharmacist, said the Tinubu-led administration should be bold enough to put an end to the subsidy regime to avert the impending hardship that may follow the protest.
He said, “If I were the president, I will address the nation by calling for an immediate end of the subsidy regime. If we allow this protest to happen without addressing the grievances of the people, it may lead to a big disaster for the country”.
The Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has backed the August 1 nationwide protest and said that the heavy spending of the government to undermine hungry Nigerians is actually mobilising the struggle.
Speaking to Daily Independent, Malachy Ugwumadu, former President of CDHR said that the government has fueled the tension by its action.
He said, “The fear is palpable. On social media, there’re all kinds of narratives. The issues are very clear that the Nigerian people are constitutionally guaranteed to freely express themselves in a manner that is guaranteed by the law. So they have the right to freely express themselves as guaranteed under the fundamental section.
On his part, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, Public Affairs Analyst and Convener, Reset Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that the government has a role to play to douse tension if it provides security for the protesters since the organisers have promised that the protest will be peaceful.
The member of PDP National Presidential Campaign Council 2023 told Daily Independent that the government must not frustrate the protesters to ensure there’s no tension, stressing that the organisers of the protest have promised that they want a peaceful protest.
He said, ‘It’s the responsibility of the government to fish out trouble makers before the protest, and to prevent criminals from hijacking the protest”.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo, is optimistic that the youths would not allow themselves to be used.
Fanwo noted that the state has appealed to the youths to remain vigilant and so they won’t take laws into their own hands.
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, (SAN) urged Nigerians not to protest but to remain patient and trust in the government’s efforts to address the issues.
He expressed concern over the widespread dissatisfaction among Nigerians due to the perceived lack of effective measures to address these crises.
The NBA president emphasised the need for substantial investments in the security sector, citing its direct impact on the nation’s economy and overall prosperity.
Also, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, the Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), said the primary concerns of the protest are at two levels.
He said: “The government and security agencies, while perfunctorily acknowledging the right of the people to protest in exercise of their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of assembly and expression, claim that they have ‘intelligence’ that ‘hoodlums’ would hijack the peaceful protest. But this has always been the same narrative by government and security agencies, and it’s the ruse under which they hide to prevent citizens from demonstrating and expressing their discontent with anti-people, government policies, and actions.”
Mr. Bayo Akinlade, a lawyer and the Convener of the Fight Against Corruption in the Judiciary and former NBA chairman of the Ikorodu branch, said that protests post 1999 in Nigeria is a result of poor thinking.
He noted that it’s quite interesting how perspective changes when one switches from one economic situation to another.
“Protests in Nigeria have become many things to many people in this country. For some it’s an opportunity not to go to work and it’s just another public holiday.
“However, for the players and participants, protest has many functions ranging from establishing themselves as social activists who have a future political agenda or an opportunity to be seen and known for some future job or appointment or even to relocate and claim asylum in another country.”
Lawyer and rights activist, Mr. Kabir Akingbolu, said, “Without making things worse, the fears of the government are justified. Nigerians too ought to fear, because since EndSARS time, people turn little demonstration into looting and stealing. So, people just want to hide under some things to cause confusion, to steal and to destroy.
“So, the dangers are very much. The tendency that it might be hijacked by either the hoodlums or some political gladiators behind the curtain is very, very high. The chances are very high.
“So, I think you can’t blame the government for being afraid because anybody who witnessed the EndSARS protest will know what we are talking about.”
Don’t Protest, I’m Already Meeting Your Demands — Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has questioned the rationale for protest on August 1, when he was already addressing most of the challenges confronting the nation, especially those involving youths.
The president spoke through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who confirmed that the issue of the proposed protest came up for deliberations at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
According to Idris, the recent student loan policy of the Federal Government was targeted at the youth population such that no Nigerian child who secures admission will drop out because of fees.
He went on to say that the distribution of truckloads of rice to state governments across the country and additional foodstuffs to be sold at subsidised prices were all geared at alleviating the suffering of the people.
Idris described the president as a listening one who will not sit aloof and watch the people suffer unjustly.
“The position of FEC is that most of the demands that the protesters are making are actually being addressed by the Federal Government and therefore it is the view of the government that there is really no need for the protests again because most of those things that the protesters are putting forward are already actually been addressed or are being addressed by government.
“Like we have said repeatedly, this is a listening government. The president has listened to the voices of all those who are planning this protest and the message is that there is no need for it”, he said.
The information minister revealed that the president was already protesting on their behalf by doing those things that they want government to do, for example, the effort that government is making, in ensuring that food is made available.
He noted, “The last Council meeting here at the briefing, we announced that a number of trucks, 20 precisely, had been given to the state governors for onward distribution to those who actually are in need of them, the poorest of the poor in society and those who are actually in need, but government did not stop there.
“There is also rice that is being sold at about 50% of its cost, a bag of rice is being sold as we speak now. This rice have been taken to various centers across all the states of the federation, and is being sold at N40,000, centers have been created. So that those who need this rice can go there and buy this rice at N40,000.
“In the first instance, about 10 trucks have been made available to each of these states and indeed, this is just to begin, I know that some of the comments you hear is that it is never enough.
“Government has not pretended that these supplies are indeed enough. But these are necessary first steps that are being made and more of such interventions are being made in the interim. Of course, this is like I said an interim measure because there is so much investment that is going into the agricultural sector.
“The rainy season is here. We expect that the prices of food items will come down as investments are also being made.
“These are part of the measures and the president feels and the Federal Executive Council believes that already some of the youth won’t protest, some of the answers that they are looking for are already actually being provided. For example, only recently the Federal Government begun the disbursement of the students’ loans. There’s a provision already for over 2 million students.”
FGAsksVCsToProtectStaff, Students, Infrastructure
In view of the proposed national protest slated for August 1, the Federal Ministry of Education has issued a circular to all vice chancellors of Nigerian universities, mandating them to guarantee the protection of staff, students and public infrastructure in their respective domains.
The circular issued through the National Universities Commission (NUC), and signed by the Acting Executive Secretary, Dr. Chris Maiyaki, on Monday morning acknowledged the right for citizens to protest but expressed fears about the potentials for violence.
The circular titled, ‘Urgent Arrangements for the Security and Safety of University Staff, Students and Property During the Proposed Nationwide Protests’, emanated following the directive of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman.
It reads, “The Minister of Education has directed that the attention of Vice- Chancellors of all Nigerian universities be formally drawn to the plan by unknown groups to embark on nationwide protests. The Federal Government is not unaware of the right of any Nigerian to peaceful protest, but is concerned about the safety of staff, students and university property should there be any protest action.
“Consequently, the Honourable Minister has directed that Vice-Chancellors of all Nigerian universities should take pro-active steps to ensure the security and safety of the university community, including staff and students.”
NYCN Tables Eight-Point Demand For Tinubu To Consider
Ahead of the proposed nationwide strike scheduled for August 1, eight-point demand has been tabled before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider in order to ameliorate the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), which tabled these eight demands on Monday, added that President Tinubu’s initiative has further increased the hardship in the country.
The eight-point demands by the Youth Council are: Transparency and accountability, healthcare access, education and skill development, agricultural support, youth intervention programme, economic relief measures, national youth conference and meeting with NSA.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on behalf of NYCN, the Vice President (North East) of the Council, Bishop Douglas Kanatapwa, said that they held the press conference to discuss the planned nationwide hunger protest and share their recommendations with President Tinubu to address the economic challenges in the country.
IGP Orders Police Protection For Protesters, Invites Adegboruwa
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed senior police officers to protect participants in the #EndBadGovernance protest.
The police chief gave the directive in a letter dated July 29, 2024, signed by his Principal Staff Officer, CP Johnson Adenola, following a request by human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN).
Adegboruwa had, on 28 July 2024, written to the police chief seeking police protection for the hunger protesters.
According to the letter, the police chief instructed senior officers to comply with the senior lawyer’s request.
It added that the IGP also requested a meeting with Adegboruwa at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja today to deliberate further on his request.
“I am to inform you that the Inspector General of Police has directed the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (Operations and Intelligence), the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) in charge of Zonal Police Headquarters, and the Commissioners of Police (CPs) in charge of state commands across the country to attend to your request.
“I am also to inform you that the Inspector General of Police wishes to have a meeting with you at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday, 30 July 2024, to deliberate further on your request,” the letter read.