The disruption occurred about three hours after President Bola Tinubu’s nationwide address, during which a faction of protesters suggested suspending the demonstrations, but others opposed the idea. A group of thugs, on Sunday, forcibly dispersed #EndBadGovernance protesters who had gathered at Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota, Lagos State, for the fourth day of demonstrations against economic hardship, poverty, and poor governance......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The disruption occurred about three hours after President Bola Tinubu’s nationwide address, during which a faction of protesters suggested suspending the demonstrations, but others opposed the idea.
Shortly thereafter, suspected government-backed hoodlums armed with sticks and weapons stormed the venue, violently ejecting the protesters.
With chants, slogans, and placards, the protesters earlier on Sunday maintained a peaceful and orderly atmosphere, reiterating their demands for improved governance and a brighter future for Nigeria.
But the police barred them from holding a procession beyond the designated ground at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota.
Meanwhile, the state police commissioner, CP Adegoke Mustapha Fayoade, who led another squad of policemen to the House of Assembly in Ikeja confronted another set of protesters at the Assembly complex.
In a video of the confrontation, the CP ordered that they should go to Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota. He was overheard saying, “What is your demand for the protest, are we (referring to police) not protecting you?”
“Asking us what is the demand of the protesters is like you want to dribble us because you know the demands. Can you say you don’t know the demands?” asked by one of the protesters.
The police boss responded, “I don’t know.”
One of the protesters said, “Let me announce the demands to everybody so that they’ll not say that they don’t know our demands because public servants can be addressed publicly,” but the CP cut in, saying, “You know, this rally you are doing is supposed to be done at the Gani Fawehinmi Park.”
He said there “is an order of court that said so, and you are bound by the law”.
“Are you not bounded by the law? So you are supposed to make all these rallies at the Gani Fawehinmi Park,” he said. Thereafter, he said he wouldn’t listen to anything they said again.
“Let’s start moving to Gani Park before you can say anything,” he said.
SaharaReporters reports that the protesters’ demands include the restoration of petrol subsidies and the forex regime. They also want the government to address food shortages, unemployment, and the wasteful spending of those in power.
Meanwhile, during President Tinubu’s, nationwide broadcast earlier on Sunday, he didn’t touch on all the demands but instead urged the youths to suspend the #EndBadGovernance protests and embrace dialogue.
He cautioned protesters against being used to advance an agenda that could potentially undermine democratic progress, and emphasised Nigeria’s 25-year history of democratic governance.
The President highlighted his administration’s accomplishments over the past 14 months and encouraged protesters to collaborate with him in building a better future for the country.
He said, “Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen.
“Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. Forward ever, backward never!”