National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso on Saturday warned that the planned anti-government protest would not be in the best interest of the country, especially coming at this time in point.
He asked the protest organisers to rather channel their energies into more effective means of transformation while waiting to use their votes to end perceived bad governance in 2027.
A retired UK Judge, author and Good Governance advocate, Dr. Charles Omole, said while protest in a democracy is allowed, there should be no room for harassing the public or preventing others from their duties.
A former presidential candidate, Mr. Gbenga Hashim, described the right to protest by any group of Nigerians or individuals concerning any situation as an essential part of citizens’ freedom of expression provided for in Nigeria’s constitution in so far as such rights are expressed peacefully without infringing on the rights of others.
However, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike alleged that some election losers in the country plan to use the protest to overthrow the government.
He said such a move was unacceptable.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) said it would not be part of the protest because it would not do them any good.
The Federal Government is already tightening security at all the nation’s borders as part of the measures to check the involvement of foreigners in the anti-government protests scheduled to commence on Thursday.
Immigration officials are under instruction to be extra vigilant and watch out for aliens who may want to sneak into the country for the protests.
Commanders of Police Tactical Squads across the country have their own separate order to take charge of their areas of operations by preventing violence and anarchy while the protests last, although more groups, including the National Association of Nigerians Students (NANS), Non-Indigenous Ethnic Nationalities in Lagos State and the Adamawa Activists Unite yesterday declared their opposition to the protests.
Dr. Kwankwaso in a statement on his X account @KwankwasoRM said there is always room for correction and setting the country on the right track for economic development, prosperity and better welfare of citizens.
“This could be achieved through ensuring good governance, respect for the rule of law, transparency and accountability,” he said.
He added:”In these trying times, our nation stands at a crossroads. Our collective frustration with bad governance has reached a boiling point, and the urge to protest is strong. As an elder and patriotic Nigerian, I share your concerns and your desire for change.
“However, I urge you to consider the consequences of national protests and to channel your energy into a more effective and peaceful means of transformation—through the power of your ballot.
“Protests, while a fundamental democratic right, often come with unforeseen and dire consequences. The tragic events of the past have shown us that protests can escalate into violence, leading to loss of lives, destruction of property, and widespread chaos.
“The repercussions of such actions extend far beyond the immediate moment, leaving scars on our communities and deepening divisions among us.”
Harassing the public in the name of protests is unacceptable, says ex-UK judge
A retired UK Judge, author and Good Governance advocate, Dr. Charles Omole, said there is nothing wrong in people protesting provided those involved conduct themselves peacefully and refrain from obstructing public roads or preventing others from their duties.
Sharing his view on his X (formerly Twitter) account @DrCOmole yesterday, he said: “It’s crucial to understand that blocking roads or harassing the public in the name of protests is unacceptable. “Vandalising public properties is not just unlawful, it can lead to serious legal consequences.
“The rights of the protesters do not supersede the rights of other Nigerians, and it’s important to respect this balance.
“In the UK, some climate change protesters have recently been sentenced to up to 5 years in jail for blocking the M25 Motorway during their protests.
“The road blockage caused immense economic disruption. And the court emphasised on the need to protest in ways that do not infringe on the rights of others. I am yet to see anyone calling the UK government anti-free speech.
“So, let me be clear: the government should plan its scenarios and be ready to intervene if needed. However, they should allow the protesters to demonstrate their good faith through peaceful protests while being given protection by the law.
“Anyone who decides to go beyond the peaceful protests should be made to face the full brunt of the law. We all have rights. And your right to protest is not stronger than my right to go about my daily tasks in peace.”
Right to protest is sacrosanct, but regime change plot is treason – Gbenga Hashim
In a similar vein, a former presidential candidate, Mr. Gbenga Hashim, said the right to protest by any group of Nigerians or individuals concerning any situation is an essential part of citizens’ Freedom of Expression provided for in Nigeria’s constitution in so far as such rights are expressed peacefully without infringing on the rights of others.
Mr. Hashim, in a statement, maintained that there “are legitimate grounds for Nigerian people to protest the prevailing economic situation and myriad of challenges not currently satisfactorily addressed. Nigerians did protest in robust manners even under military rule.”
According to him, “what government needs to do is to address the issues with utmost sincerity and it is time for an honest introspection.”
Mr. Hashim added that “however, any group of people allegedly plotting extra-constitutional regime change under the cover of protest would be engaging in treason, and where credible evidence exists, would be answerable to the law.
“We are a democracy; one that some of us suffered dearly to establish. Though our democracy may be slow to produce positive results for our people, we must resist the temptation and seduction of unconstitutional change which in our immediate past has produced horrible outcomes.”
Election losers want to overthrow govt through protest, says Wike
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike yesterday alleged that some election losers in the country planned to use the protest to overthrow the government.
He said such a move was unacceptable.
“There are politicians who want to be in power at all cost,” Wike said at a town hall meeting with FCT stakeholders organised by the FCT Administration yesterday.
“Who are these people who want to protest? It was on social media they said they had applied to me to grant the Eagle Square for protest.
“Do you apply to me through social media? You will write to the office of the minister, I will see you and ask you how many days you want to spend. How much will you pay?
“There are people who lost elections, the only way they can be relevant is to overthrow the government in whichever way. We will not allow that.
“I have seen all kinds of threats that I will die tomorrow. I know I will die one day, so you do not need to remind me of that. If I die tomorrow, you are not the one that killed me; it is my time. I will die the day God says I will die.
“If Abuja is working, Nigeria will work. When we came on board so many people cried out that things were not moving. But by the grace of God, with the support we had from President Tinubu, there are changes. And we are committed to making more changes.
“When we came in, insecurity was so high. For the first time, we went out to all the area councils, we spoke with the Chiefs, Muslim and Christian leaders, youths, women and other stakeholders, and we asked them what they want us to do. The government alone cannot do it.
“And with the support that you have given with the security agencies you can attest to the fact that the situation is different. We are not saying that we have brought insecurity to the end, nobody in this world, no country that there is no insecurity.
“After all they nearly killed Trump recently. If it was in Nigeria now, we would have said our security agencies are not working and that things have failed.
“Yesterday (Friday), they sabotaged the train system in Paris, keeping over 800,000 people stranded. If it was here, they would say that our security people are not working. And that is an advanced country.”
Shun calls by anarchists fomenting trouble from abroad, Shettima tells Nigerians
Vice President Kashim Shettima asked Nigerians to ignore calls for participation in the protest by those he called anarchists and saboteurs who are fomenting mischief from abroad.
Shettima spoke on Saturday as the Special Guest of Honour when the Shehu of Borno, His Royal Highness Dr Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba Al Amin El-Kanemi, gave out four of his daughters in marriage in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Shettima described the protesters’ agenda as a “road to Khartoum, Damascus, and Tripoli” – referencing the chaos and instability in Syria, Libya, and other countries.
He urged Nigerians to learn from these countries and not dance to the tune of “bandits and idiots” who are agitating for chaos from the comfort of foreign countries like Australia, Finland and the United States.
According to him, protest has never been a solution for nations to solve their challenges, but rather an avenue for destruction of human lives and properties, even as he called for peace and unity.
The Vice President, who personally gave out one of the Shehu’s daughters’ hand in marriage, also wished the couples a most blissful marital life.
Appealing to Nigerians to shun the planned protest, he said: “I want to use this opportunity to call on our people to eschew violence. There can never be development without peace; there can never be peace without development. I wish to implore all our youths not to follow the part of anarchy, of destruction.”
According to a statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Information, Office of the Vice President, Shettima said President Tinubu feels the pulse of the nation and remained committed to making the nation’s challenges mostly inherited over the years a thing of the past.
The Vice President implored Nigerians “to keep faith with the Federal Government,” adding that “in no distant time, all of the administration’s efforts at emphatically repositioning the nation as one with the most powerful economy and social welfare for its citizens will become obvious”.
Presidency disclaims fake statement attributed to Tinubu
Also yesterday, the Presidency dismissed as fake a statement circulating online and attributed to President Bola Tinubu.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a brief reaction, declared that the social media story did not emanate from the Presidency.
“Based on recent inquiries, I wish to reiterate that this is fake and does not emanate from the Presidency,” Ngelale said.
The fake statement entitled “Tinubu Speaks” claimed that President Tinubu, while pleading with the planners of the protest for more time, announced some sweeping reforms including a 50% slash of his salary and emoluments, as well as those of top government officials.
It also claimed that President Tinubu promised that the Office of the First Lady would be scrapped, presidential aircraft sold off, government ministries consolidated and fuel and electricity subsidies restored.
Students won’t take part, NANS declares
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Senate President Akinteye Babatunde said in Ibadan that members of the association would not be part of those who want to cause chaos and disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the country.
Akinteye, who spoke during the 84th NANS National Senate sitting, said Nigerian students would suffer most should the protest lead to violence as schools would be shut and this would lead to elongation of their studies.
“We don’t know the identity of those calling for the protest. Our demands and aspiration can be channel through dialogue instead of protest,” he said.
But he added: “Despite not joining the protest, we are hungry. FG should look into the issue of hunger in the land. Education should be given priority.”
The planned protest, according to him, lacks clear leadership and specific demands, and poses a significant risk to the nation if the citizens fail to embrace caution in handling social issues.
He said:”While the right to protest is enshrined in our constitution and is a vital aspect of democratic expression, we must also consider the potential consequences of unchecked and faceless demonstrations.
“Reflecting on the past, the October 20, 2020 incident, which was a product of the EndSARS protest, brought devastating consequences on our nation, some of the outcomes of which we have not recovered from.
“As the largest and most influential student/youth organisation in Nigeria and Africa, we have conducted extensive consultations and have come to a critical decision: we will not support or participate in any protest that could lead to anarchy, particularly the planned “Days of Rage” protest.
“Therefore, we encourage all Nigerian students to be wary of engaging in violent protests to prevent some of the dreadful repercussions that could accompany such acts, as we have recently witnessed in Kenya.
“This resolution comes after robust deliberations of the feedback of our wide consultations. The leadership of NANS during its 84th National Senate Sitting fully supports and ratified this decision.
“We believe that while the right to protest is fundamental, the potential consequences of unchecked and faceless demonstrations could be devastating, leading to violence, economic disruption, and social instability.”
24 Adamawa groups withdraw from planned protest
Twenty-four youth groups in Adamawa State yesterday announced their withdrawal from the planned protest.
Adamawa Activists Unite said a meeting of the groups resolved to opt out of the protest after careful consideration of a number of factors.
Such factors, according to the Convener of the coalition, Ahmed Bala Aliyu, are lack of clear leadership, “specifically absence of identified national protest leaders”, and direction of the planned protest.
Youth groups plan solidarity protests with FG
The Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders said it has concluded arrangement to stage pro-government rallies of its own from August 1st to 10.
The rallies, the coalition said, are in support of the administration of President Bola Tinubu who, it said, has been working round the clock to put the nation back on track.
Goodluck Ibem, National President of CONYL, and Junaid Abubakar, National Publicity Secretary, said in a joint statement that “Governance demands we show some patience and tolerance by all, waiting for our expected good results.
“President Tinubu is currently doing his best via different policies and programmes which in due course will bring about good tidings for our dear country. What we need now is a little patience to enjoy what the future holds for us.”
Police placed on alert in Imo as IPOB/ESN plans sit-at-home, protest
The Imo State Police Command on Saturday deployed a massive security presence across the state to prevent a breach of public peace following alleged moves by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to use the planned protest to cause fresh trouble.
Police Commissioner in the State Aboki Danjuma vowed that the command would not ” allow any form of security breach or civil unrest in Imo State.”
“Citizens have the right to peaceful protest, but violent protest is criminal and will not be tolerated,” he said.
He said the police command, in synergy with other security agencies, has deployed a 15-day show of force and confidence-building patrol across the 27 local government areas of the state to ensure public safety and deter miscreants.
“We are committed to protecting the rights of citizens while ensuring their maximum safety,” CP Danjuma said, adding, “We urge the public to be security conscious and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or our emergency lines.”
FG tightens security at borders ahead of protest
The Federal Government is already tightening security at all the nation’s borders as part of the measures to check the involvement of foreigners in the anti-government protests scheduled to commence on Thursday.
Immigration officials are under instruction to be extra vigilant and watch out for aliens who may want to sneak into the country for the protests.
Commanders of Police Tactical Squads across the country have their own separate order to take charge of their areas of operations by preventing violence and anarchy while the protests last.
Following the alarm raised on Friday by Police Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun of “credible intelligence on foreign mercenaries’ involvement in this planned protest”, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said in Abuja yesterday that all Zonal Heads, State Command Comptrollers and Divisional Immigration Officers (DIOS) of the Service across the country have been directed to be extra vigilant.
Comptroller General of the organisation Kemi Nandap said in a statement signed by NIS spokesman Kenneth Udo that security at all the nation’s borders has been tightened in view of the planned protest.
“In keeping with the responsibility of safeguarding the nation’s gateways placed on the shoulders of the Service, officers, especially Heads of Border Commands, are tasked to rise to the occasion,” she was quoted as saying.
She added: “This is by ensuring that no foreign element can take advantage of the protest to distabilise the country.”
She ordered temporary suspension of all leave applications and charges officers to exercise utmost professionalism and patriotism in the discharge of their duties.
This, she said, should enduring and after the protest, saying that “Nigeria is the only country we have as our own”.
IGP to Squad Commanders: Take charge, prevent anarchy
Addressing the commanders of the Police Mobile Force’s Counter Terrorism Unit and Special Protection Unit in Abuja yesterday, IGP Egbetokun said while citizens have a right to peaceful protest, such rights must not be allowed to infringe on the rights of others.
He directed the commanders to take charge of their areas of operation by preventing violence and anarchy across the country.
But he stressed the need for them to ensure that all officers and men of the force remain professional by exercising utmost restraint in the face of provocation.
During his Friday press briefing, Egbetokun had asked all groups planning to participate in the demonstrations to submit their details to the commissioners of police in their respective states.
“To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: state the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers,” he said.
The organisers are also expected to supply the police with the measures they are taking to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, as well as key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.
