#EndBadGovernance Protests: Group Warns Against Violent Actions, Weaponization of Rallies
A group called Defend Nigeria Movement (DNM) has urged Nigerians not to weaponise the ongoing national August protest. The group made this admonition at a rally in Alausa, Ikeja on Thursday. Convener of the group, Razak Olokoba,who addressed the rally said they came out for a peaceful protest because they believe in constructive dialogues.
Nigerians under various organisations had called for a national protest to demand for good governance and better living conditions in the face of high inflation and hunger. The protest tagged #EndBadGovernance had attracted the attention of the Nigerian Government and appeals were made to shelve the protest.
Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police had met with leaders of Take It Back Movement, one of the groups behind the protest advising against violent processions. He said the experience of #EndSARS protests of October 2020 where lives were lost and properties destroyed would not be allowed to happen again.
The group said,“We recognize that our dear great country is in a special situation as hunger, hardships and inflation of prices of commodities and services escalate almost to unimaginable proportions. We also acknowledge and accept that Nigerian citizens, indeed, need urgent socio-economic respite.
“And mostly, we are confident that the present Federal Government reforms would yield palpable dividends. We also believe the government must sustain the tempo of the “Reforms with a human face”.
Olokoba said the group would continue to interphase with all tiers of government to ensure needed social intervention reliefs for the citizens.
They however condemned what they called “the partisan antics of some unscrupulous advocates of unrest” to throw the country into turmoil and chaos.
“We recognize the citizen’s right to protest, but it must be exercised within the ambit of a globally accepted modicum of civility, as well as respect for the rights of other law-abiding citizens. For violence has never been known to bring about peace, friendship and progress. Instead, dialogue is the main pillar of constitutional governance.
“We therefore, call on all social stakeholders, religious, traditional and community leaders, top henchmen of traders, farmers, transports, women and youth organisations to join hands with us to prevent the nation from being turned into a theatre of reckless violence which is capable of completely ruining the gains of our fast developing democracy.
The group said Nigerians should learn from the inferno that has been brought upon Kenya, Sudan, Bangladesh and even Libya.
“If relief from the pains of hunger and inflation of prices of commodities, especially foods, as well as other daily services, is what we are asking the government to do, then, we must not by ourselves create conditions for more hardship to be inflicted upon us.
“Violence can collapse our industries, schools, Government, healthcare facilities, and market. The health of vulnerable people like the elderly, children, pregnant women; and the physically challenged will even be more jeopardised in a violent environment. That should not be the objective of the August Protest.
“Hence, we at Defence Nigeria Movement (DNM), call for restraint and reasonable dialogue with the government at all tiers, Federal, State, and Local councils, to treat the prevailing hardship as a national emergency, to prevent the advocates of social and political disorder from achieving their evil intentions.
“We hereby call on all our members to hold forth in their respective neighbourhoods and communities. Our city must not fall, we must assert. If any of our precious public facilities are destroyed, we will be paying for it with our hard-earned taxpayer’s money. Which will further derail development in our communities. This is why every stakeholder; traditional rulers, religious and community leaders, youths and business owners must come together to protect our common patrimony.
“We wish us well in this trying time, knowing with a surety that there would arise a greater light at the end of this tunnel”, the group said.
NigerianEcho learnt that the Governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said Lagos can not afford a repeat of the #EndSARS protest and its attendance destruction. He said Lagos State is yet to recover from damages caused during the protest that ravaged the Country in 2020 but Lagos was most affected where 25 Police Stations were burnt and several vehicles as well as properties destroyed. He enjoined the protesters to be peaceful.
