By Damilare Adeleye

Five days before the impending nationwide protests, palpable tension and apprehension have heightened among many stakeholders in the country, the Nigerian Voice can report.

This news outlet observes that potential security breach and possible violence were major concerns behind the growing tension in the country pending the time for the planned nationwide protests, which were slated to hold between August 1st to August 10th, 2024.

Understandably, some Nigerians particularly the youths have announced plans to embark on the 10-day peaceful demonstration across all the states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, to demand for accountable governance as well as an end to current economic hardship in the country.

The protest which, was tagged: #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria and #DaysOfRage, gained traction on the social media with many Nigerian netizens calling for people-oriented governance with radical reforms to existing system.

Some of the demands of the protesters include: an end to corruption and impunity, transparent and accountable governance, improved infrastructure and public services, economic growth and job creation, respect for human rights and rule of law as well as fuel subsidy reform.

“For too long, our country has suffered from corruption, inequality, and poverty due to poor leadership. It’s time to hold our leaders accountable and demand transparency, accountability, and good governance!

“Let’s come together to make our voices heard and create a better future for ourselves and future generations!,” a netizen with the name ‘End To Bad Governance’, anonymously wrote on a social media platform.

The momentum of the planned protest has seemingly unsettled the both federal and state governments as they were making efforts to calm the nerves.

It was reported during the week that President Bola Tinubu held series of emergency closed-door meetings with top traditional rulers, security top brass in his government and governors of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Similarly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, on Wednesday, summoned an emergency closed-door meeting with federal government ministers and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The meeting came after President Tinubu, on Tuesday, appealed to Nigerians to shelve the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest.

Mohammed Idris, Minister of information and national orientation, speaking after a meeting with the President, said that the President asked him to communicate to the youths that he has listened to all their concerns, adding measures were already ongoing to address the challenges.

He said, “We also discussed the issue of the country generally and Mr President has asked me to again inform Nigerians that he listens to them, especially the young people that are trying to protest.

“Mr President said he listens to them and takes what they say seriously; and he is working assiduously to ensure that this country is good not just for today but also for the future. The issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that, he asked them to shelve that plan and he has asked them to await government’s response to all their pleas, he has listened to them.”

The Minister said a lot was being done already, saying; “Only today the NASS has expeditiously passed the bill on National minimum wage. You can see how the President is working. The bill was transmitted only yesterday and today it has been passed. A lot of other interventions that the President has put in place are also going to be looked at expeditiously in the interest of Nigerians, so there is no need for strike {protest}.

“The young people out there should listen to the President and allow the President more time to see to the realization of all the goodies he has for them.”

While the youths count down to the D-Day for the protests, government officials, security agencies, religious and traditional leaders have appealed to the organisers to shelve the demonstration to avert violence and disruption to national security.

We Don’t Know What Nigerians Are Protesting For— APC Governors

Governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) also said they lack knowledge of the reason for the planned nationwide protest in the country.

Speaking after a closed-door meeting of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) held in Abuja, the Chairman, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, said: “We don’t know what they are protesting for. We invite all of them to sit down with us in a room so we can discuss and agree on the issues, what they are and proffer solutions.

“We as a body, we are committed to the unity of the country, we are committed to whatever thing that makes Nigerians live better lives, bring prosperity, jobs to be created for young boys and girls who graduated to be employed.”

The governor further stated that it was unwise at this moment for the country to have any demonstration by any group, urging Nigerians to suspend the plan.

“We think it is not wise at this moment for any demonstration by any group of persons be it in whatever guise.

“This is so that we can manage the challenge of insecurity, the challenge of national minimum wage, the challenge of food security and then the struggle to come out of the current economic recession.

“We are using this opportunity to also advise our young boys and girls to desist from being instigated into causing crisis or chaos in the country.

“Already, Nigerians have suffered a lot; the global economic recession, the insecurity in Nigeria, the political tension occasioned by instigations and campaign of calumny by opposition parties, the social media attacks on various policies of government.

“We want to advise for the interest of the country and as a show of patriotism, our citizens must take ownership of this country because we have no other country we can call our own outside Nigeria,” Uzodinma added.

Dialogue With Government— Traditional Rulers Tell Protesters

Traditional Rulers, on Thursday, asked the organisers of #EndBadGovernance protests to dialogue with the federal government, warning against the possibility of the protests being hijacked by criminal elements.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who co-chairs the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, said this when he addressed journalists after an expanded cabinet meeting at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.

“People that are out there to protest, it is their civic right. But let them put a face to it, and don’t let it be hijacked by people that have ulterior motives. That is our stand.

“We traditional rulers are not in support of people, especially youths, coming out to loot and break down law and order. We condemn such acts fully.

“We are parents. We are traditional rulers. We are closer to them. We are going to go back home and continue to engage them,” the Ooni of Ife said.

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in a statement issued in Kaduna on Friday by its Secretary General, Prof. Khalid Aliyu, said although Nigerians were passing through difficult challenges, protest might not be the panacea.

“The calls for protest in Nigeria, occasioned by food insecurity, inflation, abject poverty and escalating national security challenges became worrisome and required immediate attention. However, the JNI under the leadership of Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, with all sense of responsibility appeals to the protest convener, their covert and overt benefactors as well as other critical stakeholders and the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently engage in critical and realistic dialogue before the situation degenerates or snowballs into an uncontrollable scenario.

“Nigerians no doubt are passing through difficult challenges, but protest might not be the panacea. We should learn from the bad experiences of protests in other climes and we should avoid the bobby traps they had fallen into,” the statement partly read.

Also, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) called on citizens to exercise caution and consider alternative means of expressing their grievances.

CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement on Friday, warned that the protests could be hijacked by miscreants, leading to chaos and violence, as seen in previous protests.

“We recognize and deeply empathize with the pain, anger, and frustration that many of our fellow Nigerians are experiencing. Peaceful protests are a powerful tool for civic engagement, allowing the populace to communicate their concerns and hold leaders accountable. However, the anxiety related to the impending protests is heightening, especially given the volatile experiences in countries like Kenya and Pakistan. We urge all Nigerians to consider alternative means of expressing their grievances. Dialogue, petitions, and town hall meetings are viable options that can yield positive results without the risk of disorder.

“We call on the government to cut the cost of governance and expedite its efforts to alleviate the hardships in the land. The government must implement the newly approved national minimum wage to provide immediate relief to struggling families. Specific measures must be taken to put an end to kidnappings, banditry, and mass killings that have plagued various parts of our country,” the association said.

However, Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, expressed his support for the planned protest.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, reminded President Bola Tinubu’s government that peaceful protests are a fundamental and constitutional right of Nigerians as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He berated President Tinubu’s government for accusing some opposition politicians and threatening to crack down on protests, saying that chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of citizens to protest are enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and affirmed by our courts.

“Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) unequivocally guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.

“Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government.

“It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012. A responsible government must ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.

“Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy,” he said.

In the same vein, a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, backed the upcoming protest, urging the federal and state governments to handle the situation with civility and empathy.

In a statement titled “My Position on the Nationwide Protest of our Young Citizens,” and posted on X on Thursday, Ezekwesili highlighted the distress being experienced by many Nigerians, particularly the youth, due to severe economic hardships.

“All reasonable people know that the majority of our citizens—especially the young ones—are distressed on many counts, from biting economic hardship that is prevalent in the country today. They blame it on bad governance and are therefore demanding an end to it,” she stated.

“I hope the Federal Government and its allies can quickly and wisely cease from threatening those among our citizens who wish to exercise their constitutional right of expression, association, and movement through a nationwide protest,” she further urged.

Protests May Turn Violence: Police, DSS, DHQ Warn

Nigeria’s security agencies have called for the suspension of the protest, citing possible security breaches.

Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting with commissioners of police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, stated that the proposed nationwide protest was ill-intentioned.

“Before concluding this address, it is important I address an issue of urgent national importance which appears to have gained some momentum, particularly on social media, in the past few weeks. Some groups of people, self-appointed crusaders and influencers, have been strategising and mobilizing potential protesters to unleash terror in the land under the guise of replicating the recent Kenya protests.

“While the force acknowledges the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in our constitution, we must ensure that these protests do not snowball into violence or disorder. As a nation, we have had more than our fair share of violent protests, with rather dastardly consequences. The last #EndSars protest led to one-tenth destruction of public assets, including police stations, courts, and transport infrastructure, and the loss of several lives.

“Tales of sorrow, tears, and blood followed what was supposedly intended to be a well-intentioned exercise. Rather than lead to any positive outcome, EndSars merely aggravated crime rates and insecurity in several parts of the country. Indeed, we are yet to fully recover from the huge economic losses and deep-seated psychological and emotional trauma inflicted upon our people by these protests,” the IGP said.

Egbetokun added, “Hence, our position is that the proposed violent protests are ill-advised and should be jettisoned fortuitously. We have the responsibility to protect properties and everyone, irrespective of their race, colour, ethnicity, or tribe, who are lawfully embarking on their daily activities. We will therefore not sit back and fold our arms to watch violent activities unleash violence on our peaceful communities or destroy any of our national critical infrastructure and assets again.”

Similarly, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on Thursday, said mischief-makers were planning to attack car owners, landlords and smartphone users during the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest .

“Already, we have detected some unscrupulous elements bent on hijacking the planned protest to make it violent. Many are therefore following in ignorance,” said Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, at a press briefing in Abuja.

“For instance, there are indications that if you possess a smartphone, if you possess a car, if you possess a shop, if you own a house or even use air conditioning in your house, you have been labelled a target.”

The Department of State Services also described planned nationwide protest as political and a plot to cause change of leadership at the center against President Bola Tinubu.

The DSS, in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, said the plotters of the protest intended to use the violent outcome of the protest to smear the federal and sub-national governments.

He said, “The DSS has followed the discourse on planned protests in parts of the country in the coming weeks by persons and groups yet to identify themselves in public as leaders of the plot.

“While peaceful protest is a democratic right of citizens, the Service has confirmed a sinister plan by some elements to infiltrate the protest and use it to cause chaos and extreme violence in the land. It has also identified the reason behind the protest as political.

“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. The long-term objective is to achieve regime change, especially at the Centre.

“The Service has also identified, among others, the funding lines, sponsors, and collaborators of the plot. However, it does not think that aggression should be the first line of action in handling the emerging scenario.

“It has instead, variously applied non-kinetic and conflict resolution strategies, including moral suasion, stakeholder engagement, and other multi-track diplomatic shuttles, to dissuade the planners from actualising their undesirable objective,” he said.

Looming Protest; Arrests Already Ongoing

It was reported that operatives of Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested some of the supporters of the protest. For instance, one Bashir Abubakar was reportedly arrested in Kano for making T-shirts supporting the planned protests. Similarly, DSS operatives reportedly arrested one Aliyu Sanusi in Sokoto State for allegedly printing and distributing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest materials.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that some of the arrested persons have been released on certain conditions which details were not disclosed.

DaysOfRage and Days Of Rituals

There were reports that some traditionalists were planning to observe ‘Oro’ Festival in various communities in Lagos State during the period of the protests.

It is understood that during such festival, residents, passers-by and visitors especially female gender, were often warned to remain indoors during the period.

A pro-Lagos State Government X account with the handle @lagospedia, announced this during the week, saying that the festival will be observed from August 1 – 15.

“Attention Residents and Visitors of Lagos. Please be informed that the Oro Festival will be observed in various communities across Lagos from 1st of August to August 15.

“This traditional Yoruba cultural event involves significant rituals,” the public announcement read.

The Lagos State government has, however, distanced itself from the traditional ritual, saying that it cannot interfere in the festival.

When contacted, Gboyega Akosile, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the state’s Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said no one questions the government when other religions hold their activities.

“Oro festival is like Muslim and Christian activities and has no business with Lagos State government interference. We don’t have a hand in how any religious group goes about their lawful activities.

“The protesters have their rights just like the traditional worshippers who want to perform their activities too. What is our business in that?”

“If anybody wants to protest, they should come out and carry out their right lawfully by not disrupting the business activities in the state. We will not allow the peace of the state to be disrupted. No responsible government will allow it,” he said.

Meanwhile, a social activist, Aisha Yesufu Jibrilla (@ukocarter) reacted to the announcement via her X page, saying: “The prestigious Oro Festival is now a political tool. Y’all now understand why they tried to ban ‘Gangs of Lagos’ because it exposed them.”

Our enquiry from the SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, on whether there would be movement restriction during the festival was not responded to as at the time of filing this report.

As the clock ticks, it is still hopeful that the government and the aggrieved citizens would find a common ground to avert the looming protests.