-Deborah Akinyosoye
The #EndBadGovernance Movement has called on the Lagos State Police Command to provide security for peaceful protesters during the upcoming October 1, 2024 protest.
The movement made the request during a press conference held on Thursday at the International Press Centre in Ogba, Lagos.
Ahead of the planned October demonstration, the police in a Tuesday letter invited key members of the Take It Back Movement, including its National Coordinator, Sanyaolu Juwon, to meet with the new Lagos Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, to discuss “issues of national interests.”
The group, however, proposed a virtual meeting, expressing concerns that its members were outside Lagos.
In their statement, the #EndBadGovernance Movement invited Nigerians to join the peaceful protest aimed at highlighting the economic hardship in the country occasioned by fuel price hikes, increased electricity tariffs, and inflation.
The statement was signed by the National Coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign, Hassan Taiwo, also known as Soweto; Secretary of the Joint Action Front, Abiodun Aremu; and the National Secretary of the Youth Rights Campaign, Francis Nwapa.
The group emphasised that the protest was in response to the “government’s failure” to meet the demands of their previous demonstrations in August tagged ‘EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.’
The protesters in August sought the reversal of fuel subsidy removal, reversal of fee hikes in public institutions, and review of the constitution, among others.
Scores were arrested by security agencies during the protest with the police accusing demonstrators of violence.
Some leaders of the protest are also charged with treason, among other charges, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the country’s capital.
“None of the demands of our 10 days of rage in August has been met,” the statement read, pointing to the worsening petrol prices that now range between N900 and over N1,000 per litre.
“This is intolerable,” the group added, stressing the financial burden this has placed on ordinary Nigerians.
“We believe October 1 should be a day for all suffering Nigerians to unite and fight for survival by demanding an end to these anti-poor policies,” the statement read.
The movement reminded the Lagos State Police Command of its duty under the Police Establishment Act to ensure security for peaceful protesters.
It stressed that the demonstration would be peaceful and that law enforcement agencies must protect the protesters’ right to assemble.
The statement called for the immediate release of detained #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance protesters, including Adaramoye Michael, aka Lenin, as well as activists and journalists being held for exercising their rights.
Among their key demands are the reversal of the fuel price hike, a fall in food prices, and an end to insecurity.
According to the movement, the protest is scheduled to begin at 7.30am under the Ikeja Bridge and will see demonstrators march through several areas in Lagos.