The police insist on identifying the protest organizers to ensure that anonymous groups do not jeopardize the country’s peace.
FILES: IGP Kayode Egbetokun
Nigeria Police Defend Request for Protesters’ Details
On Sunday, the Nigeria Police Force defended its request for the names and other details of participants in the upcoming nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled for August.
Force spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi stated that obtaining such details is a standard procedure to ensure the safety of all participants and prevent unlawful activities.
Last week, the police made this demand to protect peaceful protesters, but many Nigerians, including activist Deji Adeyanju, rejected the condition.
In a statement on Sunday, Adejobi clarified, “It is vital to clarify that the IGP has never denied the constitutional right of every citizen to freedom of association and expression. Instead, he has always emphasized the right to peaceful assembly and expression. The Nigeria Police holds the responsibility to ensure that any activity, including protests, does not pose a threat to national security.
“Requesting the details of protest organizers and their leaders, as well as the schedules of their protests, including location, period, and routes, is a standard procedure. This facilitates effective communication, ensures the safety of all participants, and prevents any unlawful activities.
“It is essential to know who is planning the assembly (protests) in each state. Allowing faceless groups to operate unchecked could jeopardize the peace and stability of the country, potentially leading to the same pains, sorrows, and tears experienced during the violent EndSARS protests in 2020.”
The protest against economic hardship, gaining traction on social media, is set to take place across all states of the Federation, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organizers of the protest have remained anonymous. Prices of food and basic commodities have skyrocketed in recent months, as Nigerians grapple with one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises, sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
