THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has directed organisers of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest to submit their names and other details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states.
Egbetokun stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, July 26. He claimed the order was to guarantee a peaceful protest.
Egbetokun declared that he recognised Nigerian citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest.
“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.”
According to the IG, to maintain public safety, the police would be able to deploy enough manpower and resources from the information provided.
He added that to prevent clashes with other events or activities, the police needed to be aware of the precise routes and locations for the demonstrations.
Additional directives from Egbetokun include creating open lines of communication with protest organisers to resolve any issues or concerns that may come up and reduce the likelihood of violence, property destruction, or other criminal conduct.
To ensure a safe and effective exercise of their rights, he urged all demonstrators to collaborate with law enforcement agencies, follow international best practices for peaceful assembly, and obey the law.
Foreign mercenaries involve in protest – IGP
Egbetokun told journalists that intelligence at the disposal of the Force revealed that foreign mercenaries were involved in the proposed nationwide hunger protest.
He advised every Nigerian to proceed with caution and reconsider their decision to join the protest.
The IGP said the Force had been monitoring development surrounding the protest threats.
“While some groups call for violent protests, emulating Kenya’s recent events, others advocate for peaceful demonstrations.
“However, some individuals promote peaceful protests with violent undertones, raising concerns about their sincerity. We have our history of violent protests in Nigeria, and I don’t believe we have to look to other countries to note the dangers of unchecked demonstrations,” the police boss stated.
Abuja not available for protest – Wike
Meanwhile, The FCT Minister, Wike, had warned against any planned demonstrations, saying no protest would be allowed in the nation’s capital under his watch.
Wike said this on Thursday, July 25, while addressing some FCT residents during an inspection tour in Saburi community.
“For those who want to protest on the 1st (of August), FCT is not available for such protests,” he said while urging residents to desist from embarking on such acts.
The minister claimed that protests would not address the problems facing the country, urging that instead, every well-meaning citizen work together to find solutions.
He noted that prominent politicians and other leaders endorsing the demonstration had no good intentions for the nation, but rather were acting in their self-interest.
Wike acknowledged that there was widespread poverty in the nation but insisted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was making every effort to solve the issue and enhance the quality of life for all citizens.
He urged Nigerians to be patient with the federal government.
The ICIR reports that Wike has issued a warning against the anticipated nationwide protest twice in the last week.
Group writes minister to prepare Eagles Square for protest
Despite Wike’s opposition to the protest, a group has written to the minister for permission to use Eagle Square for the protest scheduled for August 1 to 10.
The group, Take It Back Movement, in a letter titled, “Request For Use of Eagles Square Abuja For #EndBadGovernance Protest,” addressed to Wike and dated Friday, July 26, notified the minister of its decision to use the Eagles Square as a point of convergence to “demand for better governance.”
In addition, it requested that the outer wire barrier facing the Aso Rock Presidential Villa be removed as the protesters may decide to visit the Presidential Villa during the protest.
A reporter with the ICIR
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