Victor EzejaIn remembrance of victims allegedly killed by security agents in the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest across Nigeria, organisers of Lagos State’s #EndBadGovernance have declared three days of mourning.
The protesters said that the three days of mourning will begin on Wednesday, 7th August 2024, with an X Space, and ends on Friday, 9th August 2024, with a public symposium and candlelight march.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a statement signed by Hassan Soweto, Ayoyinka Oni, and Oloye Adeniji, the organisers urged all Nigerians, especially youths to observe the three days of mourning.
“We hereby urge all Nigerian people and youth who support the struggle against hunger and hardship to do everything they can on a personal level to observe these three days of mourning, which may include wearing black attires as they go out, putting up graphics of the movement on their social media profiles, as well as other individual acts to show solidarity with our fallen heroes,” part of the statement read.
Additionally, they urged Nigerians to participate in group activities, the big climax of which would be Friday’s candlelight parade, public symposium, and X Space.
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The group accused the Lagos state government and the Commissioner of Police of not guaranteeing the right of peaceful protesters, adding they were attacked by thugs on Monday at Ojota while police watched and did nothing.
“The police at Ojota, as well as at Alausa, have surreptitiously allowed state-sponsored thugs to attack our members and injure them,” they said.
“The same thing happened earlier in the day at Alausa, Ikeja. In both incidents, not only did the police not stop the thugs, but police officers also actually participated actively in dispossessing our attacked members of their mobile phones and valuables. This was only the latest in a permanent cycle of low-scale yet scary violent attacks against us once a little chance presents itself.”
“Given how persistent the attacks have been, we have no choice but to believe that the police and the thugs are working together to muzzle our voices which has made Ojota unsafe for peaceful protesters,” they added.
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While bemoaning the high-handedness of police operatives on peaceful protesters across the country, they called for resignation of the inspector general of police and also demanded the release of immediate and unconditional release of the National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign, Adaramoye Michael Lenin, Babatunde oluajo and others protesters arrested across the country.
They also demanded a public apology and “return of all mobile phones and other valuables stolen from our people by the same police meant to protect them.”
“We stand opposed to the senseless killings of our brothers and sisters for daring to protest hunger and hardship. These three days of mourning are to demonstrate that we shall continue to stand with our siblings from all parts of the country in this dark hour, and together with them, we shall fight for justice for those who have been killed and for an end to all forms of bad governance in this country,” the statement added.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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