While the Federal Government is planning a low-key Independence Day anniversary celebration, the EndBadGovernance protest organizers have also concluded plans to stage protests across the country.
Bellnews reports that for the second time after President Bola Tinubu took over the leadership mantle in 2023, the FG on Thursday, September 26 announced that the October 1 Independence Day would be on a low key basis due to the mood of the nation.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume told newsmen that President Tinubu’s government was aware of and sympathized with all Nigerians over the economic conditions they were passing through, hence the reason for a low-key celebration.
However, some activists clamouring to end bad governance in Nigeria are seeing the event as a fertile ground to continue their protest against the high cost of living and other lingering challenges bedeviling the nation.
Economic hardship
For most Nigerians, the economic situation of the country has aggravated to an unbearable stage.
Bellnews reports that currently, there is no end in sight to the untoward hardship imposed on Nigerians from May 2023 after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy.
On Friday, September 27, the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that the prices of Beans, Rice, Bread, Egg have continued to rise across the country.
NBS, in its data, indicated that one Kilogram of Beans rose by 271.55 percent on a year-on-year basis to N2,574.63 in August 2024 from N692.95 recorded the same period last year.
Also on a month-on-month basis, the price of Beans increased to 5.31 percent to N2,444.81 in July 2024.
According to NBS, the average price of 1kg Local rice sold loose went up by 148.41 percent from N 737.11 in August 2023 to N1,831.05 in August 2024, while there was an increase of 3.65 percent on a month-on-month basis.
It also stated that the price of medium size eggs (12 pieces) experienced significant price increases by N121.92 percent from N1,031.55 in August of last year to N2,289.19 in August 2024.
Our correspondent gathered on Saturday that the price of a 50kg bag of rice has jerked up to about N100,000.
FearlessInOctober protests
The protest tagged FearlessInOctober is an extension of the hunger protest staged in August this year when the Nigerian youths who were puzzled by the economic situation of the country stormed the streets to demand for a solution.
Although the protest turned violent and was hijacked by non-state actors with several protesters killed, the attention of leaders were drawn to the plight of the citizens.
A security company, Beacon Security Intelligence, in its August report on Nigeria’s security situation, said 30 people were killed across seven states during the EndBadGovernance protests that lasted from August 1 to 10.
According to BSI, the majority of the casualties were killed by gunshots, “possibly from law enforcement and unidentified armed actors.”
The report contradicted the claim by security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police Force, that only seven fatalities were recorded during the protest.
However, the organizers claimed that President Bola Tinubu had given deaf ears to their demands, stimulating the October 1 nationwide protest.
In a statement jointly signed by the Education Rights Campaign, ERC, Movement for Fundamental Change, MFC Youth Rights Campaign, YRC, Joint Action Front, JAF, and Pan-African Consciousness Renaissance, PACOR-Nigeria, the organizers insisted that the demands raised during the August protests were not addressed.
They called on Nigerians to engage in peaceful protests against “anti-poor policies”, including the removal of fuel subsidy, which according to them has birthed the experienced being in the nation.
“As we speak, the price of fuel hovers between N900 per litre to N1900 per litre depending on which parts of the country you are.
“Meanwhile, less than two years ago, a liter of fuel did not cost more than N200 per litre. This is outrageous. This is intolerable. As a direct consequence of this increment, life has become unbearable for many Nigerian people.
“Many are starving as the increase in fuel price has also impacted food prices. Inflation has rendered the N70,000 new National Minimum Wage irrelevant and incapable of bringing any relief to Nigerian workers”, he said.
Police, DSS issue stern warning
Ahead of the Independence Day celebration, the Lagos State Police Command and the Department of State Services, DSS have warned protesters against the breakdown of law and order.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olarenwaju Ishola, who spoke on Friday during a town hall meeting with stakeholders and other security agencies, warned trouble makers to steer clear of the state.
The Police boss, however, assured Lagos residents of police presence to maintain safety and order during planned protests.
“We are not stopping anybody from protesting, it is your legitimate right. We will protect all so that miscreants do not hijack it, ” he said.
Similarly, the Director of the Department of State Service in Lagos State, Dapo Amao, said that though it is the right of citizens to protest or express their displeasure against the government, it must be done in a civilised way.
It’s your duty to protect protesters – Organizers tell security agencies
Despite warnings by the security agencies, organizers of the planned protest have vowed not to back down.
One of the key organizers of the protest, a popular human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore told Bellnews on Saturday that the police and other security agencies have a duty to protect the intended protesters.
He said, “The security agencies are aware that there will be a nationwide action and they have a duty to protect protesters and non-protesters
“We’ve also asked our lawyer(s) to inform them to do the needful, which is basically to protect Nigerians”.
Similarly, another activist, Jerome Williams, told Bellnews that the Nigerian youths have refused to be intimidated by the President Tinubu-led government.
According to Jerome, the arrest and subsequent trial of several hunger protesters in August was aimed at intimidating those speaking against the bad policies of the government.
He said, “they don’t like you when you speak against their anti-people policies. People are dying of hunger and they don’t care. They keep telling us that things will be better, is it when everyone is dead that life will be better?
“All they want to do is to intimidate us. They arrest protesters as though they have seen the terrorists causing problems in the north. Protesters are not your problem. Address the demands and make life bearable for people and everybody will leave you alone.
“It is not like anybody wants to protest, they are the ones pushing us to do it. Bring the price of fuel down, stabilize the exchange rate and subsidize some food items at least for a while then we will leave you alone.
“A bag of rice is now N100k, that is about 30 percent higher than the minimum wage of an average Nigerian worker. In the private sector, there are people receiving below 50k per month. How do you expect them to cope?
“We will continue to protest until they hear us. Nigerians don’t need to be scared of any arrest or whatever they are planning. Like they said, if you protest, you may die and if you don’t protest, hunger will still kill you so protest and die. We are ready for them”.