THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has vowed to enforce court orders limiting protesters to restricted areas during the nationwide protest, which started today.
The ICIR reported that some Nigerians had started gathering to stage the protest tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.
Demonstrators seek to use the platform to express their disaffection over the hardships which President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s reforms have inflicted on Nigerians.
However, a few hours before the protest, some states received directives restricting the demonstrators to certain areas.
Court orders were obtained by Kwara, Ogun, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to restrict protestors to designated areas.
Reacting to this, Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the orders would be enforced in the states.
He confirmed that the Police received orders from courts of competent jurisdiction restricting protests, rallies, processions and meetings to Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ikorodu Road, Ojota, and Peace Park, Ketu, Lagos from 8 am to 6 pm on August 1 – 10, 2024.
“This assurance has become imperative following news making the rounds about nationwide protests billed to start on Thursday, August 1, 2024, an action capable of grounding commercial activities and obstructing the free flow of traffic.
“The Nigeria Police Force, as a law enforcement agency, shall duly enforce this order. To this end, the command hereby assures everyone willing to join in the proposed protests that maximum security will be provided at the indicated locations,” Hundeyin stated.
The police asked protesters to follow the security protocols to maintain law and order and stop the protests from being hijacked.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police Adegoke Fayoade gave assurance that law-abiding Lagosians could carry out their businesses without fear of intimidation or harassment and urged residents to maintain vigilance and report any suspicious activity to the closest police station.
According to Hundeyin, the command would not permit any individual or organisation to violate others’ rights, such as the freedom of movement and the right to dignity.
The ICIR reported that in addition to Lagos and Ogun, the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja restricted protesters against hunger and poor governance in Nigeria to the MKO Abiola Stadium in the nation’s capital.
The presiding judge, Sylvanus Oriji, gave the order on Wednesday, July 31, while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The FCT Minister had applied for an order of interim injunction restraining the five leaders of the protesting groups from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, streets, offices, and public premises within the FCT thereafter, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The ICIR reports that a human rights group, the Take It Back movement on Friday, July 26, requested the FCT Minister to grant them the use of Eagle Square for the demonstration, known as the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Since the emergence of President Bola Tinubu, there has been unprecedented inflation, with the market prices of food snowballing and more citizens pushed into poverty.
The ICIR reported that the president held closed-door meetings with the traditional rulers and governors over the demonstration. Similarly, political actors including former presidential candidates, political parties and other stakeholders have issued statements about the protest.
A reporter with the ICIR
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