Human Rights activists and the Nigeria Police on Wednesday made last minute comments on the planned nationwide protest against economic hardship in the country. The protest is slated for Thursday.
The commentators, who spoke on their various social media handles included Omoyele Sowore, popular musician, Charles Oputa also known as Charly Boy, former Education Minister, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri and Aisha Yesufu.
Sowore urged Nigerian workers to also boycott work and join the protest.
“We urged Nigerian workers to boycott work and join #EndBadGovernance tomorrow. We ask those who may not be able to join to stay at home.”
The Nigeria Police, on its X handle, former Twitter, wrote “Hello, good morning! It’s the last day of the month of July. We hope for a more fulfilling August. And…if you must protest, do so peacefully. Be watchful and vigilant. Our history is littered with ugly experiences of protests that turned violent. We certainly can’t have a repeat. Not at these fragile moments!”
Charly Boy Area Fada 1 said, “For all those shouting, There should be no protest because it would be hijacked.”
” What do you make of all these “nonsense?” So the anti-protest protesters can protest freely with even security operatives securing them, but the people’s voices must not be heard. Now you know how protests are hijacked and by who. Shame on all of us, weaklings parading as “reasonable men.”
Brave Nigerian Youths allow a few riffraff’s and vagabonds to destroy a nation we all own collectively while you sit down and shout, “give peace a chance.”
“Please, is there a monopoly of peace or wickedness? It is now obvious to note that the oppressed will forever remain oppressed because they’ve lost the sense and right to live normally. Shame! Shame!! Shame!!! Dia fathers.”
Former Minister Ezekwesili noted, ” As we can all already see, the only group that will turn the #EndBadGovernaceProtest into the “bloody affair” that @NigeriaGov propagandists are predicting and prophesying is the government and its supporters.
“The People are simply saying “We are hungry and therefore angry” . We want you to know this and act correctly to solve our problems.
Simple.
“Again, I ask the governments @NigeriaGov , State Governments and Governors, the Lawmakers @nassnigeria and State Assemblies to make this nationwide expression of dissatisfaction and disapproval of citizens their opportunity for deep introspection.
“Consider your ways. Produce convincing evidence-backed Responses and Plans of Action to Citizens’ Demands.
“@NGRPresident has a Duty to ensure full protection of Citizens who wish to exercise their constitutional right to protest #BadGovernance across the country.
“@PoliceNG must do EVERYTHING right by the People.
“We must remind the @HQNigerianArmy that they cannot in any guise abuse the rights of Citizens. Nigerians Citizens will win. Ultimately.”
Yesufu @AishaYesufu said, ” Propaganda cannot work on people that are hungry.
The growling of their stomach will drown out the noise and they won’t be able to hear the propaganda.”
Omokri, who worked with former President Goodluck Jonathan, opined, “I just saw a laughable demand by one of the organisers of tomorrow’s protest demanding that the Lagos State Government provide air-conditioned buses for protesters. Well, I agree with him. As long as the buses are to ferry them to their states of origin. You can’t relocate to Lagos from states that owe salaries, like Abia, Nasarawa, and Anambra, only to want to protest in a Lagos that pays civil servants above minimum wage at ₦70,000 and does not owe.
“You have not protested in Abia, which is not paying even the old minimum wage and owing workers. But it is in Lagos, where public schools are either free or subsidised, and the government built red and blue line railways to get you from A to B inexpensively, pays above minimum wage without using workers, gives you free healthcare, and has built ports, roads and independent power projects that you want to protest against? No! Go and protest for your state to be as good as Lagos State!”
