Calls for the End Bad Governance protest gained significant momentum on social media.
FILES: IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
Police Request Details from Protesters Ahead of August 1 Nationwide Demonstrations
Ahead of the planned nationwide protest set to begin on August 1, police authorities are requesting details from demonstrators. During a briefing in Abuja on Friday, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun specifically asked all groups planning to participate in the demonstrations to submit their information to the commissioners of police in their respective states.
The IGP emphasized that the protest is expected to be peaceful.
“We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest,” the police chief stated. “However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place. To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: proposed protest routes and assembly points, expected duration of the protest, and names and contact details of protest leaders and organizers.”
Egbetokun added that organizers should include measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements and provide key identifiers for isolating potential troublemakers. Concerned about the protest being hijacked by criminals, the IGP explained that police need this information to identify potential troublemakers. He reiterated the police’s commitment to deploying adequate personnel and resources to ensure public safety, stating the Force needs to know specific protest routes and areas to avoid conflicts with other events or activities.
The IGP also issued guidelines to protesters, including establishing clear communication channels with protest leaders to address any concerns or issues that may arise, minimizing the risk of violence, property damage, or other criminal activities.
“We encourage all protesters to cooperate with the police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to guarantee a safe and successful exercise of their rights.”
Presidential Concerns
On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu commented on the planned nationwide protests, claiming that sponsors of the demonstrations do not love the country. While he did not identify any sponsors, he said those championing the protests have alternative passports and hold virtual meetings across the world.
“The sponsors of protests do not love our country. They have no love for the nation. They do not understand citizenship. They have alternative passports,” Tinubu said at the Presidential Villa while receiving a delegation of Islamic leaders led by Sheikh Bala Lau.
“They are in different parts of the world holding meetings virtually. We do not want to turn Nigeria into Sudan. We are talking about hunger, not burials. We have to be careful. We should be careful with premature politics; politics of hate, and anger. The internet has made it possible to hold meetings in artificial settings. They hold meetings and sponsor anger,” the President was quoted as saying by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale.
President Tinubu argued that protests fueled by anger and hate could degenerate into violence and set the country backward.
Security Warnings
Earlier, security agencies warned against planned demonstrations, asking Nigerians to avoid actions that could undermine national security. Leading these agencies, the Department of State Services (DSS) issued a statement on Thursday, saying it had identified the sponsors. Although the DSS agreed on citizens’ right to protest, it claimed some elements planned to hijack it.
“The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments; make them unpopular and pit them against the masses,” it said in a statement by its spokesman Peter Afunanya. “The long-term objective is to achieve a regime change, especially at the Centre.”
Calls for the demonstration, tagged #EndBadGovernance protest, had gained momentum on social media in response to the high cost of living in Nigeria, triggered by the twin policies of fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), inflation has reached 34 percent, pushing the cost of essential commodities beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians.
President Tinubu has been meeting with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, in a last-ditch effort to prevent the protest. He is urging organizers to be patient with his government as it works to address Nigeria’s challenges, assuring that his administration’s reforms will pay off in the long run.
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