Organisers Shun Security Warnings, Vow To Resume Protests After Tinubu’s Disappointing Speech

Organizers of the ‘End Hunger’ protest in Lagos announced they will gather at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, on Monday to continue their demonstration.

This information was conveyed in a Sunday statement signed by Hassan Taiwo, Ayoyinka Oni, and Adegboyega Adeniji on behalf of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee.

The organizers responded to President Bola Tinubu’s Sunday broadcast, expressing disappointment that it took three days of protest for him to address the nation. Tinubu stated his administration was ready to listen to and address the protesters’ concerns, asking them to suspend further protests for dialogue.

The organizers viewed the President’s address as a significant victory for their movement, emphasizing that their determination forced this acknowledgment. However, they criticized the President for simultaneously requesting the protest’s suspension and ordering dialogue, calling it contradictory.

The statement also condemned attacks on protesters by thugs, noting injuries sustained during these incidents. The organizers urged Nigerian youth and the public to join the protest at 7 am on Monday, August 5, 2024, at Gani Fawehinmi Park.

Despite the state’s claims of a peaceful protest, a video aired by Channels TV showed protesters being chased by hoodlums wielding sticks at Ojota after the President’s address. Another video captured a protester being hit in the head by a thug during a live interview.

The organizers called on the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, the media, and the Nigerian Bar Association to not stand by while protesters are chased off the streets instead of having their demands addressed. They asserted that the #EndBadGovernance protest stemmed from the suffering and frustration of ordinary Nigerian youth and people.