..Says he is addressing them
…Promises Stipends For Unemployed Graduates
.. protest likely to be hijacked – UN
….Atiku Throws Weight Behind The Protest
…Don’t deny Nigerians right to protest – Amnesty International
…Police not against peaceful protest, but…. Egbetokun

President Bola Tinubu has pleaded with the aggrieved Nigerians, especially the youths who are planning a national protest over the high cost of leaving to shelve the planned action, saying there is no need for it.

The President also assured those behind the planned national protest that he has heard their grievances and is working seriously to ensure that all their concerns are addressed.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed the President’s plea while speaking with State House correspondents after he his meeting with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Minister said that at the meeting with the President, general issues on the country were discussed and the President said he was working assiduously to ensure that the country’s economy is placed in a good position.

He said, ‘We discussed the issue of the country in general and Mr President has asked me to again inform Nigerians that he listens to them, especially the young people that are trying to protest.

“Mr President said he listens to them and takes what they say seriously and he is working assiduously to ensure that this country is good not just for today but also for the future.

“The issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that he asked them to shelve that plan and he has asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas, he has listened to them.

Planned protests against economic hardship in Nigeria likely to be hijacked, UN warns

The United Nations (UN) department of safety and security has warned that the planned protests in Nigeria may be hijacked by groups with ulterior motives.

Recent reports indicate that various Nigerian groups are planning a nationwide protest from August 1 to 10, dubbed “10 days of rage,” to address the country’s soaring cost of living and economic hardship.

In a threat and risk assessment finding dated July 19, the UN expressed concerns about the possibility of violence, citing past instances where similar protests in Nigeria escalated.

“Recall that in the 13–16 February 2023 interval, tensions generated by the paucity of new Naira currency (financial crisis) reached high levels amongst the civilian population, which materialized in violent protests in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria, in the states of Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Imo, Kwara, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, and Rivers,” the threat and risk assessment reads.

“During the civil unrest in the different states, several bank branches and ATM points were vandalized, and major roads were blocked.

“As the turnout for the ’10 days of rage’ protest is expected to be high, large-scale disruptions to normal economic and social activities cannot be discounted.”

The threat assessment also showed that confrontations between groups supporting the government and those disagreeing with its policies cannot be ruled out from the end of July towards August 10-15.

“While acknowledging the economic hardship in the country, some organizations and leaders of ethnic groups (especially in South-South and South-East) were discouraging participation in any of the 1-10 August protests (E.g. Ọhanaeze Ndigbo, a socio-cultural organization in Nigeria, claiming to represent the interests of all Igbos),” the UN said.

“This highlights the possibility of the events being hijacked by other interest groups/detractors, thus complicating the security landscape of different areas.”

Those calling for the protests are asking for a reverse of some policies implemented by President Bola Tinubu believed to have engendered hardship in the country.

Some of the demands include the reinstatement of petrol and tertiary education subsidies, restoring affordable electricity tariffs, and reducing import duties to previous values established before the economic crisis.

Others are declaring a state of emergency on inflation, more transparency in public administration, publicly disclosing and reducing the salaries and allowances of political office holders, and reforms to the judicial system.

In a statement addressed to Tinubu, Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said it would be hard to prevent Nigerians from expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s policies.

Those Who Led Protests In 2012 Now Trying To Stifle People’s Rights – Atiku

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government and its agencies for trying to abort the planned August 1 protest across the country.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate in the last election said it is also ironical that those who protested against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012 are the ones trying to stifle other peoples rights to protest.

States across the federation have been unsettled by the ongoing plan by some youths to begin a 10-day nationwide hunger and hardship protest to draw the federal and state governments’ attention to the worsening plight of the citizens.

According to the organisers, “this hunger is too much.”

In a post on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Atiku said it was the right of citizens to protest, saying it is guaranteed by the constitution.

He added that what government needs to do, is to ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.

The opposition leader said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of citizens to protest are ENSHRINED in the Nigerian Constitution and AFFIRMED by our courts. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) unequivocally guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.

“Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government.

“It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012. A responsible government must ensure a SAFE and SECURE environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to PEACEFUL PROTEST.

“Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy,” he said

Don’t deny Nigerians right to protest – Amnesty International warns FG over planned protests

Amnesty International, AI, has warned President Bola Tinubu’s administration against threatening Nigerians planning to protest against the current hardship and hunger in the country.

The International Human Rights Organization warned that threatening peaceful protesters is unlawful, adding that Nigerians have the constitutional right to protest.

Nigerians on social media plan to protest in August against Tinubu’s government following the bad economic situation in the country.

Reacting to the plans, Tinubu’s media aide, Dada Olusegun warned that the intending protesters would meet the strongest resistance of their lives if they opted to protest against the Nigerian government.

Olusegun warned that those who gave Tinubu the mandate to rule the country would strongly resist the protest.

Reacting, Amnesty International posted on X: ”Threatening peaceful protesters is unlawful. It is a clear attack on freedom of assembly — which is guaranteed by international law and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution:

”Nigerians must not be denied the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to peaceful protest; through veiled threats of violence and false insinuations.”

Egbetokun: Police not against peaceful protest — but we won’t allow arson

Olukayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police (IGP), says the police will manage the planned nationwide protest in the “most professional manner”.

Egbetokun spoke in Abuja on Tuesday during a meeting with strategic police managers, which included officers from the rank of commissioners and above.

There have been reports that some Nigerians, under different groups, are planning a nationwide protest between August 1 and 10 against the rising cost of living and the economic hardship in the country.

The IGP said the police are committed to ensuring the protection of citizens during the demonstration.

He said maintaining law and order during the protest would not be difficult if the protesters remained peaceful.

Egbetokun added that “the right to protest is inherently a right to peaceful protest”.

“So we are prepared, and I want to assure you that we will manage the protest in the most professional manner,” NAN quoted Egbetokun as saying.

“If the protest is peaceful, you will see us protecting the protesters as long as they remain peaceful.

“But we have a duty to protect lives and property, so we will not sit back and watch hoodlums burning down facilities in the name of protest.

“So we are not against peaceful protest; we will support peaceful protest by protecting those who will engage in peaceful protest.

“No civilised society will tolerate violent protest. Violent protest is criminal, but peaceful protest is a right.”

He urged Nigerian youths to shun those instigating violent protests, adding that some individuals have been calling for an imitation of demonstration in Kenya