In less 24 hours before the planned #StopBadgovernance protests, the Nigerian government has taken some proactive steps to avert the 10-day protests which starts on Thursday, August 1, 2024.
After the week-long mobilization and appeals by government officials, stakeholders in the private sector, personalities, sponsored groups and religious bodies, including the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Muslim Student Society of Nigeria (Lagos chapter), and the Muslim Rights Concern, citing a palpable fear that the protests might be hijacked by infiltrators who do not mean well for the country.
Local media reports said that even the former Niger Delta freedom fighter, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, joined the efforts to dissuade the youths from embarking on the protests, warning the organisers of the protests to desist from coming to Niger Delta region.
Dokubo-Asari said that the agenda of those behind the protest did not capture the problems of the people of the Niger Delta.
However, a group, the Take It Back movement has called for a nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance in the country.
The group tagged the protest, “Days of Rage” which it said would hold nationwide from August 1 to 10.
While daring them to come to the oil and gas-rich region, he said they would be resisted, alleging that they were merely interested in the resources coming from the Niger Delta, describing them as ‘anarchist.
Additionally, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has urged all groups planning to participate in the proposed nationwide protest to submit their details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states.
He stated this was to ensure the protest remains peaceful.
Egbetokun said, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest.
“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide the necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.”
The report by Punch newspaper on Wednesday said that the protest, which has gained traction on social media, has been endorsed by presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
The newspaper listed some the actions taken by the Nigerian government to avert the protests to include:
President Tinubu created centres across the country where Nigerians can purchase a 50kg bag of rice for N40,000, while it sells for N80 in the open market,
Tinubu directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to sell crude to the Dangote refinery and other upcoming refineries in naira.
Tinubu’s meeting with governors from the All Progressives Congress, under the aegis of the Progressives Governors Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to discuss the growing calls for nationwide protests against economic hardship.
Suspension of import duties on food to cushion the effect of the inflationary trend in Nigeria. On Monday, he removed the duties on the food importation.
Emergency meetings with prominent traditional rulers and Ulamas (Islamic religious scholars) at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja as part of efforts by the government to ensure the planned hunger protest, slated for August 1 to 10, is averted nationwide.
Unveiling the Youth Internship Scheme initiated by the NDDC for 10,000 youths of the Niger Delta region and approved N50,000 monthly stipends for them.
The Nigerian Communications Commission has directed telecommunications operators to immediately restore all blocked phone lines due to the non-linkage of National Identification Numbers to SIM cards and Signing the new Minimum Wage Act into law on Monday by President Tinubu.
The briefing of selected ministers and Secretary to the Federal Government to list and explain the above the gains of the Tinubu administration.
Despite these last minutes efforts by the government to aver the protests, the organisers of the protests are adamant and have resolved to go ahead with the protests on Thursday as planned.
GIK/APA