CITIZENS COMPASS—The #EndBackGovernance protesters on Thursday, August 8/8/24, announced plans to lead a monumental one-million-man protest on Saturday , August 10, 2024.
This according to the organisers would be held across all the 36 states in Nigeria as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The protesters disclosed this in a statement signed by the Take It Back Movement (TIB), which said the Match will hold side-by-side with other organizers and organizations.
The statement signed by TIB National Coordinator, Sanyaolu Juwon, reads, “The Take It Back Movement (TIB), side-by-side with other organizers and organizations will on August 10, lead a monumental one-million-man protest in each of the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
“This event will mark a critical juncture in our nationwide #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria campaign, which began on August 1, 2024.
“It started as a planned 10-day protest but has evolved into a sustained and widespread movement, drawing participants from every corner of Nigeria and the diaspora.
“TIB extends its deep appreciation to the Nigerian people for their tireless participation and unwavering support. We say to all: Your courage and determination in the face of adversity are a testament to our collective resolve for change.
“We commend the Nigerian media for their steadfast coverage despite overwhelming harassment and threats. We applaud your selfless role in reporting the truth and informing the world.
“We are also very grateful to the lawyers nationwide who have been working diligently to secure the release of our comrades and detained protesters.
“On the troubling matter of unlawful arrests, we unequivocally condemn the detention of Michael Adaramoye (Lenin), Sankara, and others who were arrested on August 5 and in previous and subsequent days. Their continued imprisonment by the DSS and the Police is a gross violation of their rights. We demand their immediate release and call for an end to these unjust detentions.
“The Take It Back Movement calls upon President Bola Tinubu to immediately reverse the fuel subsidy removal. Clearly, that policy has exacerbated the economic hardship of ordinary Nigerians. We also demand an immediate increase of the minimum wage to at least N250,000 per month, to ensure that Nigerian workers can afford a decent standard of living.
“To restore fairness and justice in governance, we further charge President Tinubu to address the very clear demands the protesters have made.
“To the 36 state governors and Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the FCT, we demand immediate economic actions to provide good governance nationwide. These include creating job opportunities, improving healthcare services and education, paying the minimum wage, and investing in essential infrastructure. Our citizens deserve nothing less.
“We also demand the immediate sack of the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, over the death of close to 40 protesters who were served bullets because they demanded bread. So far, over 1000 people have been remanded over the protest against hunger. At least 632 protesters have been remanded in Kano, while over 109 were remanded in Sokoto prison. The police must cease the use of teargas and live ammunition against peaceful protesters.
“We charge the Police Service Commission to hold accountable, any officer involved in the assault, brutality, shooting, killing, or any other form of violence against unarmed protesters. The use of live ammunition against peaceful protesters, reminiscent of the tragic events of the 2020 #EndSARS protests, must not be repeated. Such actions are unacceptable and must be met with appropriate sanctions.
“Furthermore, we call on the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, to immediately withdraw soldiers from the streets during these protests. The presence of military forces in urban areas is unnecessary and inappropriate for a protest, which is fundamentally a civil right. Instead, soldiers should be redeployed to the critical areas of Sambisa Forest in Borno, Mubi in Adamawa, parts of Yobe, and Zamfara states, where they can address the ongoing threats from Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.
“We also strongly condemn the invasion of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Headquarters in Abuja on August 7 by a joint security force including operatives of the Department of State Services; the Defence Intelligence Agency, officers of the Nigeria Police Force, and military personnel.
“This assault, intended to intimidate and silence solidarity efforts, is an affront to democratic values. We therefore call upon the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to declare a nationwide strike in solidarity with the protesters and to demand that President Tinubu address our collective demands.
“The Take It Back Movement remains resolute. Our voices will not be silenced, and our demand for good governance will persist until meaningful change is achieved.”
The statement also listed the demands by the protesters, “These are our non-negotiable demands; the Nigerian government has addressed not a single one of them.
Meanwhile, two of the arrested protesters Yahaya Kola and Babatunde Oluajo popularly known as Sankara, have regained their freedom.
The protesters denied links with foreign sponsors or opposing parties.
In a related development, a popular activist, Wale Balogun has alleged threat to life.
He disclosed this a widely circulated press statement on Thursday.
The statement titled, “END BAD GOVERNANCE PROTESTS : THREATS TO MY LIFE AND FREEDOM” reads,
“My name is Comrade Wale Balogun, I am the National Coordinator of the Yoruba Revolutionary Movement (YOREM) an organisation fighting for the self determination and social emancipation of the Yoruba within a Nigeria’s genuine federal union or outside it. It should be noted that I addressed a world press conference titled *THE AUGUST 2024 NATIONAL PROTESTS IS A COLLECTIVE STRUGGLE AGAINST SUFFERING, HUNGER AND HANDSHIP IN NIGERIA* on Saturday 27th of July, 2024 at Ikeja , Lagos in support of the End Bad Governance National protests in Nigeria. In the said World press conference, I disabused the minds of Yoruba who had being misinformed and incited that the Ndigbo community in Lagos wanted to cause chaos in the state. Thus, I called on Yoruba people not to be used to wage an avoidable and unnecessary war against Ndigbo because the national protests to end bad governance is a collective fight against hunger, suffering and hardship in the country. More importantly, that the Yoruba should participate in the protests given the age long tradition of the Yoruba resistance to all oppressive policies and programmes by governments.
“I also issued a Press Statement on the 5th of August, 2024 titled *END BAD GOVERNMENT NATIONAL PROTESTS: THE HYPOCRISY OF SELF DETERMINATION AGITATORS* in which I speak against the double standards of self determination activists that were against the peaceful national protests. Aside from a video clip where I called on the Oro cult not to allow themselves being used against voices of dissent expressing themselves in a peaceful protests.
“I want the world to note that since the media used the text of the press conference extensively, Lagos state government emissaries have been calling on me to meet with the Lagos State government Chief of Staff, Tayo Ayinde and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, which I refused to do. Instead, I advised the Lagos State government contacts to appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to accede to the demands of protesters and not to forcefully disperse the protests. This same message was sent to the DCP of SIIB, Panti through a Superintendent of Police who had called me and initiated a meeting which I tactically withdraw from. ( I recorded all the conversations because I suspected the sinister motives).
“This statement now becomes necessary because of threats to my life and family. I was reliably informed by 2 sympathisers that the Political thugs of the APC in Lagos state popularly known as *Team Lagos* , some well known Oodua self determination activists in the payroll of the state government have been assigned to take my life while security operatives have also been mandated to arrest me.
“I therefore seize this opportunity to call on the Inspector General of Police to save my life from APC political thugs and other agents of darkness ordered to terminate my life. I also wish to state that I do not have any regrets in calling on Nigerians particularly the Yoruba to exercise their democratic rights to a peaceful protests.
“As one of the unsung heroes that fought for the enthronement of this 4th republic, an historical fact that I led the first protest against the annulment of June 12th presidential election on Sunday 24th of June, 1993 at Ebute meta, Lagos Mainland. I cannot fold my hands or keep quiet in the face of misgovernance just because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a Yoruba man. If anything untowardly happens to me and my family I called on Nigerians and the international community to hold Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu responsible.”
Wale Balogun serves as the National Coordinator, Yoruba Revolutionary Movement (YOREM).
The protesters will on Friday August 9, 2024, organised a symposium and candle light procession in Ikeja in honour of their fallen heroes
The event holds at The Rights House, Ikeja, Lagos State at 10 a.m.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Ahmed Abdulhamid Malam-Madori, has commended the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, officers and his men for the professional handling of the
#EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
