The organizers behind the recent #EndBadGovernance protests, which disrupted economic activities across Nigeria, are gearing up for another round of nationwide demonstrations set to take place in October.
A former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, confirmed the upcoming protests in a statement to DAILY POST on Saturday.
Naija News recalls that Nigerian youths previously staged nationwide protests from August 1 to 10 in response to the country’s worsening economic conditions.
Although the protests were intended to be peaceful, they were hijacked by non-state actors, leading to the tragic deaths of several participants.
Reports indicate that 17 people lost their lives in states such as Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna, and Jigawa, while many others were injured as security forces cracked down on the demonstrators.
Additionally, over 1,135 individuals were arrested across the country following the outbreak of violence during the protests.
In Kano State, miscreants disguised as protesters vandalized government properties, looted personal belongings, and even flew Russian flags while advocating for military rule in Nigeria.
Authorities in Kano arrested around 873 suspects, with 76 of them, including a foreign national, transferred to the Force Headquarters in Abuja for further investigation on charges of sedition.
Deji Adeyanju, speaking on Saturday, stated that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of those detained during the protests.
“We are currently on their matter,” Adeyanju said.
Sowore also confirmed that some of the detained protesters have already been released, with ongoing efforts to free the remaining detainees.
He said, “We are working to get all detained persons released and have, in fact, succeeded in getting some released.”
He expressed gratitude to human rights attorneys who have been instrumental in securing these releases and warned that the federal government could face an ultimatum if it continues to detain protesters unjustly.
Planned October Protest
The upcoming protest in October appears to be a response to what organizers describe as President Bola Tinubu’s failure to address the demands of the EndBadGovernance protesters.
These demands included reversing policies that have led to the high cost of living, such as the controversial fuel subsidy removal.
The protesters also made 15 other demands, including:
1. Abolishing the Senate and making lawmaking a part-time endeavor with only the House of Representatives remaining.
2. Increasing the minimum wage to at least ₦250,000 per month.
3. Releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally and demilitarizing the South East, as well as releasing and compensating all EndSARS and political detainees.
4. Ending banditry, terrorism, and violent crimes, and reforming security agencies to prevent human rights violations.
5. Overhauling the Nigerian judiciary to remove corrupt elements that deny citizens access to justice.
6. Allowing diaspora voting.
Despite addressing the nation on the sixth day of the August protest, President Tinubu reportedly failed to address these demands, prompting organizers to plan further demonstrations.
Sowore revealed that the upcoming protest, dubbed #FearlessInOctober, will be more prolonged than the August protests.
Dismissing rumors of ongoing negotiations with the federal government, Sowore stated, “I am not part of any negotiations. We are all working on our next set of prolonged protests tagged #fearlessinOctober.”
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