The organisers of the #FearlessOctober1 protest confirmed that the demonstration will take place at Eagle Square in Abuja and Ikeja Under Bridge in Lagos on October 1st.
This protest aims to highlight the public's dissatisfaction with the economic hardships resulting from the removal of fuel subsidies and the devaluation of the naira.
The organisers have written to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, requesting security during the demonstration, emphasizing that protesting is a fundamental right. "We cannot rule out the fact that the government can sponsor violence to discredit the protest, but we want to warn them against that," one organiser stated.
They stressed that people should not be deprived of their freedom of expression and assembly.
Despite warnings from the police, key figures such as Omoyele Sowore and Deji Adeyanju are determined to proceed with the demonstration. Sowore noted, "Nobody has expressed to us or anyone that they’re afraid because they know we are not violent protesters; maybe you should ask that of the government."
Adeyanju added, "The police do not have the right to summon protesters like they are currently doing. It is the responsibility of the police to protect the protesters anytime they embark on a demonstration."
The protest shows the civic unrest related to recent economic policies.
The National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, and Director of Mobilisation, Damilare Adenola, have begun nationwide mobilisation efforts. "We have also written to the Inspector General of Police, informing him of our protest locations and reminding him of the constitutional duty of the police to protect protesters as opposed to the repression we have witnessed in times past," said Sanyaolu.
Comentários