Barely two months after the August 1-10 protests tagged #EndBadGovernance, some Nigerians are warming up for fresh nationwide protests planned to hit the streets on October 1, which coincides with the 64th Independence Day celebration of Nigeria.
The protests are basically to reinforce demands earlier made by protesters, but largely greeted with silence from the Federal Government despite President Bola Tinubu’s promise in a broadcast to dialogue with protest leaders.
Another reason perhaps is that #EndBadGovernance protesters, numbering over 1,000, remain in various prison facilities across the country after being charged with treason by the government, though some of the protesters have been granted bail but under the stringent condition of paying ten million naira each, particularly the ten that were charged in Abuja.
Meanwhile, some Civil Society organizations, CSOs, speaking with journalists expressed worry over the demands made by the protesters that are yet to be addressed about two months after President Tinubu, in a national broadcast in August and amidst the #EndBadGovernance protests across the country, promised to dialogue with them.
In his reaction to the October 1 proposed protests, the Executive Secretary, African Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev. David Ugolor, said, “The government’s response to the October 1 protests could depend on the scale and public reaction. If the protests gain significant traction, media attention, and public sympathy, the government may feel pressured to engage.”.
“But in the absence of a well-defined strategy for dialogue, the demonstrations would encounter opposition rather than cooperation, which might escalate tensions. Yet there has been no widely reported or concrete dialogue between the federal government and the protesters since Tinubu mentioned the possibility.”.
“Despite the fact that a few government representatives indicated they were open to negotiations, no meaningful interaction has been seen,” the activist stated.
“The government has expressed readiness for dialogue in principle, but practical steps towards initiating structured discussions with protesters remain unclear. This hesitation suggests that the government might not yet have a clear strategy or timeline for engaging directly with protesters.”
Ugolor also spoke on the protesters still remanded in prison, saying: “The ongoing detention of protesters raises serious concerns regarding human rights violations and civil liberties.
“Due process rights for those who are still in detention are being violated in an attempt to quell criticism, which can exacerbate social unrest and erode public confidence in the legal system.”
On the intervention by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, to release the protesters in prison unconditionally, Ugolor asserted, “Both the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, have historically intervened in cases of rights violations.
“There have been efforts by these bodies to advocate for detained protesters, but the scope and success of their interventions vary. These organizations are crucial in pressuring the legal system to ensure fair trials and respect for human rights,” he added.
