In recent days, no topic has dominated Nigeria’s media space as the planned 10-day protest by civil rights activists.
Not even the Olympics going on in Paris, nor the decamping of Anyim Pius Anyim, one of the remaining political heavyweights in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has attracted the same media attention as the protest, which its planner tagged #Endbadgovernance#.
The protest organisers say they are frustrated by rising inflation, escalating food prices, removal of fuel subsidy and devaluation of the naira, and insecurity, among other grievances.
At the forefront of the protest are: Youths Against Tyranny, Call a Spade a Spade Movement Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative for Change, We Coalition, Take it Back Movement, Revolution Now, and Human Rights Co-Advocacy Group.
The list also includes Total Intervention Nigerians Against Corruption Initiative, Refurbished Nigeria, Citizens for Change Advocacy Initiative, Timely Intervention, Active Citizens Group, Tomorrow Today.
A former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has backed the protest scheduled for Aug. 1-10, 2024.
“All reasonable people know that most of our citizens – especially the young ones – are distressed on many counts, from the biting economic hardship prevalent in the country today.
They blame it on bad governance and are therefore demanding an end to it,” she stated in a post to her handle on X (Former Twitter).
Other rights activists backing the protest are Mr Omoyele Sowore and Aisha Yesufu of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections. Yesufu came to prominence during the Bring Back Our Girls protests.
Legal experts say it is within their right to demand good governance and an end to hunger.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.
It says the right of peaceful assembly includes the right to hold meetings, sit-ins, strikes, rallies, events, or protests, both offline and online.
Accordingly, it says, it serves as a vehicle for the exercise of many other rights guaranteed under international law, to which it is linked intrinsically and that form the basis for participating in peaceful protests.
The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 20 states that: “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association“
In December 1966 UN General Assembly Adopted the UN International Convention on Civil and Political Rights through Resolution 220A (XXI).
“The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognised.
“No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others“, the resolution says.
Domestically, Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution Stipulates that: “every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest.
Therefore, the right contains the freedom to assemble and associate freely with others.
However, the caveat is that such an assembly must be peaceful. This is in recognition of the fact that public order supersedes the circumference of this right.
In a tactical move, through some social media handles, Lagos State residents were warned about the Oro festival planned to coincide with the protest, saying they should steer clear of the streets because it involved some rituals.
But protest organisers like Sowere are defiant, describing it as a huge joke.
The tension hit a fever pitch when Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy accused a section of President Bola Tinubu’s opponents during the 2023 election of plotting to overthrow his government through the protest.
“As bad losers, they don’t have the patience to wait for another election in 2027; they would rather destabilise Nigeria by staging a civilian coup against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“If they understand the meaning of their hashtags, they will realise they are clarion calls for treason.
“Wanting to end an elected government is high treason. Wanting revolution is a call for a coup d’etat, which is also high treason”, Onanuga alleged.
The Defence Headquarters’ (DHQ) situational analysis indicated that the planned nationwide protest has the potency to degenerate into anarchy, and a reign of terror.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba told newsmen in Abuja that the planned protest was motivated by opposition politics, independent parties, sovereign interference, or terrorist groups, amongst other interests.
“However, for us in the military, the constitution is explicit on how and when the military gets involved. The constitution also clearly defines the roles and functions of the armed forces.
“On the other hand, while citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, they do not have a right to mobilise for anarchy to unleash terror’’, he said..
He said the contemporary context of the planned protest is to shadow happenings in Kenya (where youths have been having street protests against the government) which has so far been violent and unresolved to date.
“It is for this reason the armed forces will not watch and allow the nation spiral out of control to such low levels’’, he warned.
Tensions are high and the atmosphere is charged. While the planners are mobilising, Federal Government and security agencies are talking tough, warning that a breakdown of law and order will not be tolerated.
The FCT Police Commissioner, Mr Benneth Igweh, indicated this in a statement through SP Josephine Adeh, the command’s spokesperson that the command would deploy 4,200 personnel to check the protest.
“The CP vows to resist all forms of violent protest and lawlessness, as the police will not be stampeded into allowing the destruction of public and private properties or loss of lives.
“Operatives will conduct raids on identified black spots, uncompleted buildings, and shanties. They will also engage in stop-and-search operations, vehicular and foot patrols, and maintain synergy with sister security agencies”, Adeh said.
He, however, acknowledged the residents’ right to protest and advised the protesters to be peaceful in their conduct.
The planned protest has received attention from the highest quarters, with President Bola Tinubu reaching out to governors, first-class traditional rulers, and religious leaders in what many have described as a bid to avert the looming street march.
“There is nobody that will not be worried about the protest. We are calling on our people to exercise patience and to listen to the words of wisdom. ,” the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Bamalli, said after the meeting.
Similarly, the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, said the traditional rulers were not against the protest but appealed to young people to avoid turning it into anarchy.
“People that are out there to protest, it’s their civic right, but let them put a face to it. They should not allow it to be hijacked by people with ulterior motives. That is our stand,” he said.
The Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, said the traditional rulers are not against the protests but want it to be civil.
The civil engagement approach of the government seems to be yielding results with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) being the latest bloc to pull off the planned protest.
After a meeting with the Minister of Education in Abuja, NANS president, Lucky Emonefe, said the Nigerian students were no longer part of the proposed protests.
“We are saying that as the government is distributing palliatives, it should remember students.
“Although we have challenges, we want to say that we have resolved to be law abiding and not to join any chaos in the society”, he said.
No fewer than 23 youth groups in Niger, have distanced themselves from the planned nationwide protest and told newsmen in Minna that the group was impressed by the efforts of the government to address the economic and security challenges facing the nation.
The group made its position known through Mr Tauheed Haruna, Leader of the Concerned Nigerlite Forum after a Town Hall Meeting.
Observers say Nigerians are already passing through difficult times, financially and mentally. The planners of the protest, political actors, and security agencies must guard against actions that will worsen the situation.
Extreme caution is required so that this handshake does not reach the elbow. The casualties and material losses of the End SARS protest are still fresh in our minds.
