Protest Organizers Urge Police Support For #EndBadGovernance Event On October 1

Protest Organizers Urge Police Support For #EndBadGovernance Event On October 1....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protest have officially announced their intention to hold a demonstration against “anti-poor policies” on October 1, requesting adequate security from the Nigerian Police for their participants…….CONTINUE READING

This protest aims to highlight the growing public dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, which many believe have worsened the hardships faced by citizens across the nation.

In a joint statement signed by several advocacy groups, including the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Movement for Fundamental Change (MFC), Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), Joint Action Front (JAF), and Pan-African Consciousness Renaissance (PACOR-Nigeria), the request for police protection was made clear.

Hassan Soweto, the National Coordinator of the ERC, called on Nigerians to engage in peaceful protests against what he termed “anti-poor policies.” The organizers stressed the importance of maintaining peace during the protests and requested the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, to ensure the safety of participants in accordance with the Police Establishment Act 2020.

“We are informing the Commissioner of Police about our planned action on October 1 and reminding the Police of their obligation under Section 83 (4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 to provide adequate security for citizens participating in public meetings, rallies, and protests,” the statement read.

The protest in Lagos is set to begin at 7:30 a.m. under the Ikeja bridge, with participants marching through the streets to raise awareness. The organizers described the action as “a warning and urgent cry” for the Tinubu administration to address their demands promptly or face escalating protests.

They highlighted that the grievances raised during their “ten days of rage” protests in August remain unaddressed. The groups criticized President Tinubu for allegedly ignoring the struggles of Nigerians while reportedly spending national funds on luxury vehicles and aircraft for himself and his family, disregarding the pleas of the impoverished populace.

The recent fuel price hike was also condemned, with organizers stating, “Tinubu has unleashed another round of fuel price increases this month, with prices now ranging from N900 to N1,900 per liter depending on the region.”

The statement emphasized the severe impact of these economic conditions: “Life has become unbearable for many Nigerians. Many are starving as rising fuel prices have driven up food costs. Inflation has rendered the N70,000 new National Minimum Wage ineffective and unable to provide relief to workers.”

They noted that escalating costs have left traders and shopkeepers struggling to maintain sales, while several multinational companies have exited Nigeria due to the challenging economic landscape, leading to further job losses.

In response to these issues, the organizers have declared October 1, 2024, as a “National Day of Survival,” urging workers, students, youth, the unemployed, traders, and the poor to peacefully protest against the hardships caused by “IMF/World Bank-inspired anti-poor capitalist policies,” including fuel price hikes, electricity tariff increases, school fee rises, and naira devaluation.

Additionally, they are calling for the release of all #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance protesters still detained by the police or imprisoned, along with the release of detained journalists, whistleblowers, activists, and other victims of state repression.