KEY POINTS
- Hoping for more support, #FearlessOctober1 protest to take place at the Eagle Square despite police threat.
- Activists condemn police efforts to prevent rallies or marches, assuring that they are not violent.
- Central demands of protest include putting fuel subsidy rollback, among others.
The planners of the #FearlessOctober1 protest have remained adamant that the protest will hold at the Eagle Square, Abuja against better judgement from the police, Department of State Services, and the Military. The protest to hold in the 64th Independence Day celebration in Nigeria will tackle issues such as; fuel subsidy removal and devaluation of naira.
Protest leaders Juwon Sanyaolu and Assistant Director of National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement and Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation, have made demands for security to Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. They noted that protesters have rights to protest peacefully according to Nigerian constitution and would not relinquish their right by choosing to be intimidated.
Police reactivity and organizer perseveration
The FCT protest will take place at the Eagle Square the venue for the annual independent parade, another will be staged at the Ikeja Under bridge in Lagos.
However, the police’s directive for more deployment in strategic areas so as to prevent people from participating in civil society did not discourage organizers.
A protest leader Omoyele Sowore dismissed such an option, denying that the march could be violent. Speaking during a television interview Sowore dismissed the sentiments by some people especially about being violent protesters, noting that no amount of threats will deter the group.
Protesting economic hardship
The group’s lawyer Deji Adeyanju fumed at the police stand saying that; it is wrong for the police to summon people exercising their rights. He accused the police of blocking demonstrators unheard while he encouraged the police to exercise their constitutional mandate of protecting demonstrators. “The government wants to ensure that everyone stays at home, but young people are not willing to let go,” said Adeyanju.
Erstwhile, the organisers have stated their grievances in unmistakable terms; fuel subsidy removal; constitutional change; reforming the House of Assembly; freeing the detainees. Adenola insisted that the protest was part of the #EndBadGovernance campaign because the Federal Government has not responded to its citizens’ concerns.
According to The Punch, With more security forces deployed and attempts to deter protesters, the organizers of the protest have encouraged Nigerians not to go with fear since protests are legal in voicing concern over government’s policies.
