#EndBadGovernance protest rocks Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja others on day one of demonstration
…as Wike says security agencies uncover Senator sponsoring protests
…Protesters burn Police station along Abuja-Keffi road
…storm Buhari’s residence, Emir’s palace in Daura
By Our correspondents
The much-anticipated #EndBad Governance protests kicked off on Thursday, August 1, 2024, with thousands of Nigerians taking to the streets in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, and other cities across the country.
The protests, which were organized by various groups, including the “Oyo State Coalition Against Hardship” and “Take it Back Movement”, saw a large turnout of participants demanding an end to economic hardship, good governance, and a total overhaul of the 1999 constitution.
In Lagos, protesters gathered at the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota, carrying placards and singing solidarity songs as they marched through the streets. Similarly, in Ibadan, protesters assembled at the UI Gate and marched through major parts of the capital city, demanding an end to poverty, job creation, and improved living conditions.
The protests, which were largely peaceful, saw a significant presence of security operatives who provided cover to ensure the protesters didn’t derail.
Protest rocks Lagos, BRT terminals empty
The much-touted hardship protest yesterday commenced in some parts of Lagos on Thursday, with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) terminals along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, usually brimming with people, empty.
The expressway was almost deserted, with very few vehicles observed on the highway. The bus stops at Super, Abule-Egba, and Iyana-Under Bridge were absent.
Also, two groups, “Oyo State Coalition Against Hardship” and “Take it Back Movement”, held peaceful protests in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, demanding an end to economic hardship and good governance.
The protests, which were held despite appeals from the federal government and prominent Nigerians, saw a large turnout of participants carrying placards and singing solidarity songs as they marched through major parts of the capital city.
The groups vowed to continue their agitations until their demands are met, including a total overhaul of the 1999 constitution and a reversal of the fuel subsidy policy to make life easy for citizens.
“We are not protesting against any individual, but against hardship and bad governance,” said a spokesperson for the “Oyo State Coalition Against Hardship”.
The protests were peaceful, with security operatives providing cover to ensure the protesters didn’t derail. Business activities and vehicular movement were initially slow but picked up by noon.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards and banners read “End poverty”, “Create jobs”, “Improve our lives”, and “Tinubu, we are dying”.
Also, Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Osogbo, Osun State, on Thursday, demanding an end to economic hardship and widespread poverty in the country.
The protesters, who were largely youths, assembled at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, carrying placards with various messages such as “Governor Must Address Allocation Increase,” “Nigeria Must Work,” and “End Hunger Now.”
Ajala Adetunji, coordinator of the Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, which organized the protest, said the demonstration was not politically motivated but a response to the suffering of Nigerians.
“We are here because of the hunger, poverty, and poor policies affecting everyone,” Adetunji said. “The youth population, which is the largest, is suffering the most. We are not afraid of anyone. The office of the citizen is the highest office in the land. We are exercising our rights, as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.”
The protesters also demanded a reversal of the recent hike in petrol prices, which have surged to N800 per liter, and called on the Federal Government to reassess its policies.
“This is not about APC or PDP. What we are experiencing affects everyone,” they said.
Wike exposes senator sponsoring #EndBadGovernance protest
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revealed that security agencies have uncovered a Senator sponsoring the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests against the government.
Wike made this known at a press briefing after a security meeting with heads of security agencies in Abuja on Thursday.
He stated that the Senator, who was not named, would be invited for questioning by relevant agencies.
“We have intelligence that a Senator is sponsoring this protest. He even went to the extent of providing food for the protesters. That is sponsorship,” Wike said.
The Minister also called on protesters to obey the court order restricting them to the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, noting the violence and killings that had occurred in other parts of the country on the first day of the protest.
Falana faults governments for rushing to court over protests
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticized the governments of Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration for seeking court orders to restrict protesters to certain locations.
Falana stated that the governments’ actions were unnecessary and that they should have designated venues for protests instead of rushing to court. He noted that the court orders were not served on the protesters and that the governments had over two weeks’ notice of the protest.
“The government should have learnt not to rush to court on the eve of a strike action by workers or the eve of a protest by young people because the difficulty with such orders is that they are never served on those they are made to restrain,” Falana said.
He added that the government could have designated venues for protest, as is done in other countries, and that the protesters were not served with the court orders.
“It’s a chaotic situation,” Falana said. “The government should have designated venues for protest instead of rushing to court.”
Protesters burn police station along Abuja – Keffi road
A police post at the boundary between the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and Nasarawa state, at the entrance of Nasarawa state from Nyanya, in the FCT, which is known as “checking point,” has been burnt amid the nation wide protest by mobs in Nasarawa state.
During the protest on morning of Thursday 1st August, the protesters burned tyres as they called for removal of fuel subsidy as well as end to scarcity of fuel.
Majority of residents of the area who are workers in the FCT were denied entry into Abuja as the roads were barricaded.
The angry mobs sweeping the long stretch of the road from checking point to Maraba junction chanted “ Ba Maiyi,” which means “No fuel.”
One of the leaders of the protest while addressing noted that the their leaders after seeking for their votes as senators and members of House of Representatives do not represent their interests any longer.
The fury of the August 1st endbadgovernance protest did not spend itself out until about O9 hrs. Before then, commuters were moving freely into Abuja, though only few commercial buses were out for business in the early hours of the day.
Thereafter, the major Abuja – Keffi road was barricaded with all sorts of materials – planks, scraps of iron, burning tyres by hordes of angry mobs shouting “ Ba Maiyi.”
However, if the uprising was a self righteous reaction to a perceived bad governance, it soon became an instrument of vendetta by the okada riders who had been looking for ways of dealing with supposed enemies who they claimed had been extorting them on the road at that area.
“ Yes, the extortion is too much! N50 every time!” Shouts rang out from the mob during the attack on the police post.
Interestingly, the patrol vehicle with armed policemen stationed at front of a popular creamery , few meters away from the scene, watched as the mob displayed their anger.
Protesters storm Buhari’s residence, emir’s palace in Daura
A large group of angry protesters stormed the residence of former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State, on Thursday, as part of the broader #EndBadGovernance protests sweeping across the nation.
The protesters, who were frustrated with the country’s dire economic situation, attempted to breach the former president’s residence and set up a bonfire in front of his house.
They chanted loudly, “Bama yi! Bama yi! Bama yi!” – a Hausa phrase meaning “we don’t want,” commonly used to express disapproval during protests.
An unidentified individual from Buhari’s residence addressed the mob, suggesting they select a spokesperson to record a message for the former president.
The protesters then moved towards the palace of the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Farouk Umar Farouk, where security forces shot one protester in the leg while attempting to disperse the crowd with heavy shooting. The demonstration in Daura was part of a broader wave of protests that have escalated in several states, resulting in fatalities and prompting at least three governors to impose curfews.
