By Matthew Denis

It is not yet Uhuru as the Take It Back Movement (TIB), in conjunction with its partner organisations, is set to spearhead a historic one-million-man protest across all 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

This was announced by TIB’s National Coordinator, Sanyaolu Juwon, in a statement released on Thursday.

According to Juwon, the forthcoming event represents a pivotal moment in the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria campaign, which was launched on August 1, 2024.

Initially conceived as a 10-day protest, the demonstration has since evolved into a sustained and far-reaching campaign, garnering support from Nigerians both at home and abroad.

Juwon expressed TIB’s profound gratitude to the Nigerian people for their unwavering participation and support, stating, “We salute your courage and determination in the face of adversity, which serves as a testament to our collective resolve for change.”

Additionally, TIB commended the Nigerian media for their resolute coverage, despite facing intense harassment and threats.

“We applaud your selfless dedication to reporting the truth and informing the world,” Juwon said, acknowledging the media’s crucial role in amplifying the movement’s message.

“We are also very grateful to the lawyers nationwide who have been working diligently to secure the release of our comrades and detained protesters.”

Speaking on the unlawful arrests, the movement unequivocally condemned the detention of Michael Adaramoye (Lenin), Sankara, and over 1000 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.”

The group, however, called for 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 read.