EndBadGovernance: Fresh Protest Looming Across The Nation In October – Details.
Information reaching thenewkingdom have it that the organisers of the just concluded EndBadGovernance protests that reportedly crippled economic activities nationwide are currently planning to stage another fresh demonstrations across the nation in October.
According to information, the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore confirmed the plan to journalists on Saturday.
It should be recalls that Nigerian youths earlier staged nationwide protests from August 1 to 10 over the prevailing economic situation in the country.
However, it was reported that the supposed 10 days peaceful demonstration was eventually hijacked by non-state actors, leading to the unfortunate death of some protesters.
Information revealed that, 17 persons were killed in Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna and Jigawa, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries after the Nigerian security forces clamped down on the protesters.
Thenewskingdom gathered that no fewer than 1,135 persons were arrested across the country following the violence that erupted during the protest.
It was reported that in Kano State, hoodlums disguised as protesters reportedly vandalized government assets, including essential documents and looted properties belonging to individuals.
Some of them were also caught flying Russian flags while clamoring for military rule in Nigeria.
Almost 873 suspects were arrested, in Kano alone, by the police and other security agencies.
Nothing less than 76 of them, including a foreigner, arrested for flying the Russian flags, were on Monday last week, transferred to the Force Headquarters, Abuja for discreet investigation on charges of sedition.
Deji Adeyanju, an activist lawyer, when reacting to questions on Saturday, said they were currently working towards securing the release of some of the protesters.
When asked to disclose the fate of the detained protesters, the popular activist simply said, “we are currently on their matter”.
Meanwhile, Sowore confirmed to journalists that some of the protesters have been released, while efforts were ongoing to secure the freedom of others.
“We are working to get all detained persons released and have, in fact, succeeded in getting some released”. He said.
“To this, we owe some gratitude to several human rights attorneys who have dedicated their time and resources to ensure these latest victims of rights abuses are released from unjust detention”.
“The federal govt would soon face an ultimatum to release all arrested protesters if they continue to be reckless and intransigent.”
*Planned October protest*
The protest scheduled for October may not be unconnected to what they described as President Bola Tinubu’s alleged failure to address the demands of the protesters.
Thenewskingdom reports that the EndBadGovernance protesters, who were majorly asking the FG to reverse some policies that led to the high cost of living, including the controversial fuel subsidy, made at least 15 demands.
It was learnt, among other things, that the protesters asked the government to “Toss the Senate arm, keep the House of Representatives and make lawmaking a part-time endeavour”.
“Pay Nigerian workers a minimum wage of nothing less than N250,000 monthly”.
“Release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally and demilitarize the South East. All ENDSARS and political detainees must also be released and compensated”.
“End banditry, terrorism and violent crimes. Reform security agencies to stop continuous human rights violations”.
“Massive shake-ups in the Nigerian judiciary to remove cabals of corrupt generations of judges and judicial officers that continue denying citizens access to real justice”.
“Diaspora voting”.
However, according to the organizers, President Tinubu, who addressed the nation on the 6th day of the protest, failed to address the demands.
This has compelled the Nigerian youths to stage more protests.
Sowore told journalists that unlike the August protest, the planned October demonstration tagged #FearlessInOctober would be prolonged.
On the rumoured ongoing dialogue with the FG, Sowore said, “I am not part of any negotiations. We are all working on our next set of prolonged protests tagged #fearlessinOctober”.
