Tag: Protest

By Bisi Olawunmi

One year, two months in office, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Emilokan’ Presidency faces its toughest challenge with the planned nationwide youth hunger protest scheduled to begin Thursday, August 1, 2024.

It is planned to last 10 days, through August 10, 2024. The hashtags for the protests include – #Endhunger, #Endbadgovernance, #DaysofRage and #Revolutionnow.

The youth-led action against the hardship ravaging the country is giving the presidency the jitters, considering the morbid fear of assumptive possibility that youthful exuberance can go into overdrive, resulting in precipitate violence.

There is also the potent possibility that overzealous police officers and other security agents, may attack peaceful protesters to provoke violent resistance with a view to achieving a predetermined end. The orchestrated scenario, by various security agencies, of the inevitability of the protests turning violent is suspect.

If intelligence indicates to the security agencies possible breach of peace during the protests, is it not their responsibility to pre-empt it and as well develop contingency plans against its eventuality?Fearmongering is least expected from security agencies.

One wonders why security agencies should be preoccupied with truncating the right of the people to protest, a right even acknowledged by the Presidency. If the protests hold and the security agencies fail to contain any possible violence, then their leaderships should be held accountable.

There is a lesson to learn from the recent resignation of the head of the U.S. Secret Service for its failure to prevent the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, the presidential candidate of the Republican party.The security agencies have had enough notice of the protests.

Perhaps attempting to scare the protesters is part of the multiple strategies being adopted by a scared Presidency to ward off this public demonstration of anger over hunger in the land. The EMILOKAN ENSEMBLE has been striving, mightily, to deploy all the tools of propaganda to abort the protests.

There is the political dimension that adopted a demonisation of the opposition, particularly the Labour Party (LP) and Peter Obi, its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, as sponsors of the protests to destabilise the government. This is a cheap blackmail and a product of infantile reasoning.

First, it is Tinubu, who destabilised his own government with his mouth on May 29, 2023, day one of his assumption of office with his ill-thought out, cavalier declaration: “subsidy is gone“. He has been flailing, unsuccessfully, for damage control from the consequent fallout of that flippancy, till today.

Secondly, conflict is an integral component of democracy and the duty of the opposition is to exploit the failure of the party in government with a view of selling itself to the people as a better alternative for their vote in the next election and to form the government. It is, therefore, legitimate, whether or not LP and Peter Obi are sponsors of the protests.

Did they put those three potent words in Tinubu’s mouth? Is the opposition responsible for his policy decisions, actions and somersaults which have only aggravated the damage of May 29, 2023 that heralded hardship in the land?

What has emerged before the public is an over hyped Tinubu Presidency that is bereft of ideas on how to get out of the morass it has sunk itself. In recent days, the president has been engaging groups and all manner of people at the Presidential Villa for advice and for them to make a plea to their constituencies not to embark on the protests.

The group of traditional rulers at the Villa, in various esoteric regalia, some looking like clowns or masquerades, provided a hilarious relief! Not that politicians have regard for them, though, as some governors wont blink an eye to suspend or depose a traditional ruler.

There is also the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the tempestuous former governor of Rivers state who, in the guttural voice of Lagos hoodlums, was belching hell fire banning protesters in his Abuja fiefdom.

Of course, it was an over-reach as he has no authority to make or enforce such redundant declaration. But then, Wike has to play lickspittle to ingratiate himself with President Tinubu for federal might protection so as not to be buried, politically, in Rivers state by a young Governor Sim Fubara.

Among the disparate groups seeking the president’s attention to be counted as part of Stop The Protest Brigade is the National Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council Worldwide ( NENYLCW ).

Two of its leaders, Aare Oladotun Hassan, President and Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, General Secretary, were featured on Arise TV’s The Morning Show programme on Monday, May 29, 2024. It was obvious their TV appearance was a strategy of angling for the president’s attention so as to be invited to the Presidential Villa and for possible largesse from such visit.

However, they could not establish the number of ethnic youth groups in the organisation they claim to represent! It is a season of playing smart, joining the bandwagon. But Arise TV’s anchor, Dr. Reuben Abati, could not resist a pun at the duo: “With your bear(d), you say you are youth, but the United Nations has an age definition of youth.

Anyway, you are as young as you think you are,” the two guests laughed it off, sheepishly! Rallying these disparate groups to dissuade the protesters is a manifestation of the desperation of the Presidency to abort the protests. It is a lot of comedown for the Emperor of Lagos to be literally on his knees, begging and praying, that this cup might pass him by.

The City Boy swagger is gone, at least, for now. He had to eat the humble pie. Even if the protests get suspended, turn out a yawn and fizzle out, the point has been made, and made emphatically, about the reality of hunger ravaging the land.

In addition to hunger, there is also unanimity about the insecurity devastating the country. It is no excuse that Tinubu inherited insecurity.

His job is to alleviate it, not for it to worsen. Anyway, wasn’t his party, the All Progressives Party ( APC ) and President Muhammdu Buhari, that he foisted on the nation, who allowed insecurity to escalate nationwide?

All the groups trotted out by the Presidency, including the traditional rulers, were only pleading for patience from the people for more time to allow the president to get his act together, to tackle the twin evils bedevilling the nation. Various groups and prominent individuals have made similar pleas before.

For instance, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and two-time governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba, had much earlier pleaded with the nation to give the Tinubu Presidency up to one year to tackle the punishing high cost of living and insecurity which have turned Nigeria into a killing field. We have since passed the one year mark, yet no respite.

For the Tinubu Presidency, it is like the Yoruba saying: Kaka ko san lara iya aje, obirin lo nbi, eiye npelu eiye (There is no appropriate English translation, but it can be improvised as: rather than things getting better, they are getting worse).

That is the sad reality of Nigeria under Tinubu Presidency. It is a numbing paradox that Bola Ahmed Tinubu fought a triumphant political war to clinch the presidency only to turn out, so far, as an unmitigated disaster in managing victory.

(Dr. Bisi Olawunmi, a Senior Lecturer at Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State is a former Washington Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Fellow, Nigerian Guild of Editors. Phone (SMS ONLY) 08033647571 Email: olawunmibisi@yahoo.com)

 

By Flowerbudnews
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Enugu State Command has issued directive to its personnel to be on alert in enhancing security measures to protect critical national assets and infrastructure.

The Commandant of NSCDC Enugu State Command, Commander Cyprian Otoibhi, said in a statement issued on Monday in Enugu that the directive was imperative ahead of the nationwide protests scheduled for August 1, 2024.

The commander noted that the directive emphasised the importance of proactive measures to prevent any potential breakdown of law and order and to ensure a coordinated response to security challenges.

According to him, to this end, the command has ordered the deployment of patrol teams and intelligence officers to all nooks and crannies of the state.

“This is aimed at maintaining vigilance, gathering real-time intelligence, and ensuring rapid response to any security threats.

“I have also directed that Area Commanders and Divisional officers as well as supervisory officers maintain the highest level of vigilance and to take full responsibility for the security of assets within their jurisdictions.

“I passionately appeal to the protest organisers to consider seeking alternative lawful methods to express their grievances,” he said.

 

Otoibhi cautioned against the involvement of miscreants, hoodlums, and other disruptive elements whose contribution to the protest would be counterproductive.

“I am assuring the good citizens of the state that all necessary and lawful measures will be employed to maintain peace and order, thereby ensuring a safe and secure environment for all law-abiding citizens,” he added.

 

By Flowerbudnews
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, has warned against planned acts of violence and breach of public peace by individuals or groups in the name of protest.

The commissioner gave the warning in a statement issued on his behalf
by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Monday in Enugu.

The state police boss noted that the protest should be cancelled considering available intelligence revealing the sinister plans of criminal elements to infiltrate and hijack the planned protest.

According to him, some, hoodlums, who are planning to hijack the protest will definitely unleash mayhem on law-abiding citizens and property in the state.

“Following the trending planned nationwide protest; there exist intelligence that some hoodlums, as experienced during the violent “End SARS” protests, intend to attack fellow citizens, destroy property and perpetrate acts of looting.

“However, with the collaborative commitment of the police and other security forces; we will deal decisively with such criminal elements.

“The police also recognizes the constitutional rights of citizens to lawfully assemble and express their grievances, as currently touted.

“However, it will be completely unacceptable for them to allow such assemblies or protests to be hijacked and made to become violent, especially in these challenging times,” he said.

The commissioner cautioned those intending to carry out the planned protests in Enugu State to find reasons to shelve the plans, given the available intelligence, and seek alternative peaceful means to express their grievances.

Uzuegbu noted that proceeding with the idea of the planned protest, the organisers would be required to strictly adhere to existing laws, particularly the Public Order Act.

“Hence, they must apply, stating their leaders, date, time, place of takeoff, and duration of the exercise, subject to thorough assessment and approval of such applications.

“We are urging esidents of Enugu State to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and promptly report to the nearest police station criminals that may want to hide under the guise of the protest to wreak havoc.

“They can alternatively, call the Command’s emergency numbers; 08032003702, 08098880172, or 08086671202, or send emails to infoenugupolice@gmail.com,” he said.

 

By Flowerbudnews
A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Hycienth Ngwu, has warned that mass protests can easily be infiltrated by too many non-aligned people and thus, “end being violent and destructive”.

Ngwu, who is the former APC Publicity Secretary in South-East, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Enugu that such violent and destructive might work against the spirit of the original intentions of the protesters.

According to him, two wrongs can never make a right; even as a mass protest is an ill-wind that blows no one any good.

“Solutions are easily found through dialogues, debates and concensus.

“Mass protests can easily be infiltrated by too many non-aligned people and thus end being violent, destructive and working against the spirit of the original intentions.

“These non-aligned individuals most times are hired to cause the destruction and looting of people’s property,” he said.

Ngwu, who is a foundation member of the APC, advised protest organisers to select representatives, form a team and dialogue with the national and sub-national governments.

“I believe this approach will be better and achieve a better result than taking to the streets in the name of mass protests.

“Dialogue was recently employed in the resolution of the minium wage saga.

“This workable option should be employed in this situation. It is a sure win-win solution,” he said.

 

Flowerbudnews

Former Niger Delta agitator and self-styled Gen. Endurance Amagbein has urged Nigerians, especially the youths, not to embark on the planned #EndBadGovernance protest slated for Aug. 1.

This is contained in a statement signed by Amagbein on Monday.

The ex-agitator, who is the founder of the Amagbein Peace Movement, made this appeal when some youths from oil bearing communities paid him a solidarity visit in Abuja.

According to the statement, the youths, led by Mr Jude Izontu, had visited Amagbein to intimate him of their plans to join the nationwide protest.

But Amagbein urged the youths, especially the general Nigerian populace to shelve the idea over security reasons.

He alleged that some politicians, who lost in the 2023 presidential elections, are scheming to steal power through the backdoor by way of the planned protest.

According to him, rather than embarking on the protest, the youths, as future leaders, should resort to dialogue and engage the government meaningfully in order to address their concerns.

He said they should not allow anyone use them as instruments of war and political instability which would profit no one.

He said already, there is enough evidence to believe that terrorist organisations are planning to hijack the protest and use it as an avenue to destroy lives and property, beyond what was witnessed during the #EndSars protest.

He said President Bola Tinubu inherited a very bad economy, and that despite that, the Federal Government is very much concerned about the sufferings and pains the masses are facing; and is doing everything it can to put an end to them.

He said this was the major reason the president sent truckloads of rice, beans, garri and other food items to the 36 states and the FCT so that the citizens could find some succour until all the teething challenges facing the country are resolved.

Amagbein, who is popularly called “the Adaka the Second” because of his philanthropic and peaceful disposition, said “President Tinubu really cares and that is evident in the numerous infrastructural projects the Federal Government is executing across the country.”
He hinted that the petroleum subsidy removal is the best decision ever taken by any leader.

He commended the president for demonstrating rare courage to remove the subsidy which, he said, was a cancer enriching a few individuals at the detriment of the nation.

According to him, the identity of the planners of the protest are not known and it might be hijacked to perpetrate heinous crimes.

“Jagaban is a listening President, and I want to urge the youths to explore civilised channels to express their grievances; rather than joining a protest which intention is not well stated.

“The youths should move beyond being called out for protests by people masquerading as freedom fighters, who will use them for their personal aggrandizement without properly engaging them for productive ventures.
“It is not the intention of President Bola Tinubu to inflict pain on Nigerians.

“The current hardship is a global phenomenon, and the president is doing everything possible to address it, and this is the reason behind the various palliatives programmes we are seeing.

“I want our youths to maintain the existing peace in the Niger Delta and support President Bola Tinubu to actualise his Renewed Hope Agenda in our best interest,” he said.

L

He Requested For Protection During #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Protest

Yaro made the latest invitation known via his X handle on Saturday, stating that “We’re law-abiding citizens and we will do everything possible to move the. country forward.”

 

Flowerbudnews:

Mallam Jabir Ibrahim Yaro, National Chairman of the Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria (NCMN), has been invited by the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Security Services (DSS) concerning the August 1 to 10 #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest.

Yaro has committed to honouring the invitations and cooperating with the security agencies to ensure the protest remains peaceful and well-organised.

Yaro made the latest invitation known via his X handle on Saturday, stating that “We’re law-abiding citizens and we will do everything possible to move the country forward.”

The assurance follows his submission of a formal notification letter to key security agencies about the planned protest, which is scheduled to run from August 1 to 10, 2024.

The demonstration aims to address issues of bad governance and economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In his letter to the DSS, the police, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Command, Yaro detailed the protest route.

The march will begin at Kawo Ahmadu Bello Way and conclude at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna’s Government House.

NCMN has promised that the protest would be conducted “in a peaceful and orderly manner,” and would adhere strictly to the designated routes to prevent any disruptions.

“The organisation has requested the deployment of security personnel to manage the event and ensure public safety, emphasising that the protest is a fundamental constitutional right and expressing hope for a supportive response from the authorities.”

The demonstration is aimed to address issues of bad governance and economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s government.

In the letter addressed to the Director General of the Department of State Security Services (DSS), the Commissioner of Police, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Command, Mal. Jabir Ibrahim Yaro, NCMN National Chairman, outlined their plan stating the protest would start at Kawo Ahmadu Bello Way and end at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna’s Government House.

 

“We assure you that the protest will be conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner,” NCMN stated. “We will adhere strictly to the designated routes and aim to ensure no disruption to public order or safety.”

 

The organisation had also requested the deployment of security personnel to manage the event and maintain public safety.

NCMN emphasised that the protest was a fundamental constitutional right and expressed hope for a positive response from the authorities.

 

 

 

 

By Danladi Ahmec

Abuja (Flowerbudnews):  The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) has decried the manner some individuals and groups are laying the groundwork for insurrection under the cover of a peaceful protest.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju, the policy analyst group noted that although protests are acceptable in a democracy, no government will tolerate a call to anarchy, riots, disturbance of public peace, purposeful violence, and destruction of private or public property.

A peaceful protest is often organised, orderly, and non-violent. It is supposed to be orderly, a situation where protesters are not expected to go out of control or resort to committing crimes, the Policy Group counselled.

IMPI said: “For several weeks, we have quietly watched as some individuals and groups mobilized for what they call ’10 days of rage’ starting from August 1. Their mode of preparation gauged from their actions and speech shows that they may be bracing up for riots, chaos, and violence, which are antithetical to peaceful protest.

“Engagement in peaceful protest as a means to reduce cost of living in this country should be seen from the perspectives of actions being taken to ameliorate whatever conditions that are considered unpalatable.

“And interestingly, within the time some were mobilizing for the protest, the administration of President Bola Tinubu had continued to roll out policies and programmes targeted at stemming the effects of the global cost of living crisis as it affects the country.

“Rather than acknowledge that the administration had not been sitting idly or ignoring the need to provide succour for the people, a group of disgruntled elements who will not settle for less but anarchy had continued to use the social media space to steer mutiny and rebellion against the government, ostensibly for political reasons.

“A close look at the list of demand shows that what they called a protest against the cost of living crisis is indeed a call to anarchy in the short term, and regime change in the long term.

“We wonder how a protest ordinarily aimed at drawing attention of government to economic issues, if the claim of reducing costs of living is real, should include amongst others, giving Nigeria a new constitution through a Sovereign National Conference and the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu who is standing trial before a court of competent juridiction, among others.

“How can anyone rationalize the call for President Tinubu to scrap the Senate, approve a minimum wage of N250,000, and carry out an ‘immediate reconstitution of the electoral body, INEC?

“Many of the demands are beyond the powers of the President so from an analysts point of view, we see the protest as an opportunistic attempt by conflict entrepreneurs and power mongers to capitalise on the crisis of cost of living to wage a war of attrition and insurrection against a duly elected government.

“We urge Nigerians to see the protest call as nothing but a call to anarchy because we sincerely do not know how the federal government could accede to the demands.”

IMPI also picked holes in the narrative that the President Tinubu administration is not doing anything to provide relief for the citizenry.

“While we acknowledge that economic reforms have brought some hardship in their wake, it is not true that the administration has not been responsive to the issues.

“Some of the initiatives include a reduction in the number of taxes from 60 to 10 as well as the elimination of withholding tax for businesses with annual turnover of N25m.

“There is also a N36bn Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cost effective alternative to petrol for mass transit that will see the introduction of 30,000 CNG powered vehicles aside from a one-off N10bn allocation to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory for the procurement of buses under the National Support and Infrastructure Programme.

“To stem the tide of rising food inflation, President Tinubu recently approved a 150-day duty-free window for food imports while also introducing measures to ramp up local food production.

“And for the youth population, there is a historic Student loan scheme that is up and running while the reinvigorated National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) would be rolled out in a few day’s time to put N110bn in the hands of young business owners,” the IMPI added.

Credit: Punch

The Federal Government has arranged an urgent meeting scheduled for Wednesday in response to a nationwide protest planned for August 1.

President Bola Tinubu had urged the organizers to postpone the protests, asking for more time to implement programs that benefit the people.

A memo obtained by The PUNCH on Tuesday indicated that the meeting, titled ‘Planned Nationwide Protest,’ would include all ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, and Special Advisers to the President including Hadiza Bala-Usman, Bayo Onanuga, and Sunday Dare.

The circular, signed by Richard Pheelangwah from the Cabinet Affairs Office, dated July 23, 2024, set the meeting for July 24, 2024, at 10 am at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Conference Room.

The protest plan stems from concerns over the high cost of living and economic difficulties, attributed to policies like the removal of fuel subsidies and currency reforms under the Tinubu administration.

Similar to recent protests in Kenya, the movement has gained momentum on social media with hashtags such as ‘EndBadGovernance,’ ‘TinubuMustGo,’ and ‘#Revolution2024.’

Despite calls from the Presidency and police to halt the protests, describing them as unwise, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, relayed President Tinubu’s plea to Nigerians on Tuesday.

Idris emphasized, “President Tinubu does not see a need for these protests. He has asked organizers to delay their plans and wait for the government’s response to their concerns.”

He assured that the President takes the grievances seriously and is dedicated to improving Nigeria’s future, pointing to recent actions like the passage of the National Minimum Wage Bill and distribution of grains to states as evidence of this commitment.

 

By Flowerbudnews
The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), a pan-African students movement, has urged Nigerians to shelve protest and possible breakdown of order in the purported nationwide protest against government.

There has been a purported move by some Nigerians for a nationwide protest due to hunger and hardship coming up at the end of July.

The President of PSM, Comrade Bestman Okereafor, made the call on Tuesday in Enugu.

Okereafor also called on state governors to be up and doing by reaching out to critical stakeholders at this critical time to avert complete break down of law and order, if the protest goes ahead.

“We are calling on anti government protesters to be sensitive and reasonable at this critical time as protest may not be the best solution to the economic hardship at this time.

“Even as President Bola Tinubu is not unaware and working tirelessly to proffer solution.

“State governors should be up and doing by reaching out to critical stakeholders at this critical time to avert complete break down of law and order in their respective states,” he said.

Okereafor also disclosed plans by the movement to hold a thank you solidarity rally nationwide over the Supreme Court judgement granting autonomy to local government.

The PSM boss said: “PSM strongly believe this judgement will have direct positive impacts on the lives of the people and the economy.

“We are already in talks with our progressive inclined compatriots and other organized bodies on the planned nation wide solidarity rally over Local government Autonomy.”