By Damilare Adeleye
A pro-democracy group, Take It Back Movement, has asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to provide protesters in the state with clean and air-conditioned buses for mobility during their planned protest.
The demand was sequel to a court order procured by the state government, restraining the potential protesters to two areas in the state during their demonstration.
Understandably, some Nigerians were gearing up to hold a planned 10-day-long protest to voice their concerns over the current economic hardship in the country.
The protest was slated to hold between August 1 to 10 across all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
However, the State High Court restricted participants in the proposed nationwide protest, to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park, Ketu area of the state.
The court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Ogundare gave the restriction order on Tuesday following a preemptive ex-parte application filed the state Attorney -General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN.
Listed in the application as co-defendants are Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba (for Active Citizens Group); Comrade Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto (for Take it Back Movement); Persons unknown and Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.
Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday, Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek, Coordinator for Take It Back Movement, Lagos chapter, frowned on the court order, while charging the government to bear responsibility for the movement of protesters from several designations in the state.
The letter read, “It has come to the attention of the Take It Back Movement in Lagos state that your Attorney General surreptitiously obtained a court order designating and restricting protesters for #EndbadGovernanceinNigeria to two locations in the Lagos Metropolis.
“At the same time, we frown at this abuse of judicial privilege to stifle freedom of association; the movement at an emergency meeting wishes to inform you that since this was your administration’s decision, you must bear responsibility for the movement of protesters from several designations in Lagos to and from Peace Park in Ketu and Gani Fawehinmi Justice Park in Ojota in Lagos.
Some of the designated convergence points for participating citizens include, Alausa Secretariat, Lekki Toll Gates, Ikorodu Bus Park, Okota Link Bridge, LASU Campus gates, Iyana Ipaja Underbridge (and) Agege Pen Cinema.
“You will soon be informed of other designated convergence points for protesters.
“The buses to be provided must be clean, safe and air-conditioned.The buses must arrive at this designated arrears as early as 6 a.m. and return protesters to their convergence points at 6 p.m. every night between August 1st and 10th, 2024. The protest days may drag beyond ten days, so the Lagos state government is advised to make contingency plans for the dusting of these actions.
“Your failure to provide buses for the protesters means they (protesters) would begin march/walk to the court designated parks in the city on a daily basis for the duration of the #EndBadGovernance direct actions.
“Finally, be informed that there will be rallies and processions throughout the #EndbadGovernance actions, so your bus operators are advised to find and park a safe distance from the areas designated by protesters for these activities.”