Security forces, including soldiers and police, have taken control of Eagle Square in Abuja ahead of a planned #EndBadGovernance protest set for Thursday. The demonstration, organized by the Take It Back Movement and other civil society groups, aims to voice discontent over government policies and governance issues.
According to reports, over 300 security operatives were at the venue with 26 military vans, 12 police patrol vehicles, and a Black Maria. This adds to the tension between the protest organizers and the authorities, particularly the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who had proposed restricting the protests to confined areas.
The organizers, represented by solicitor Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa and human rights lawyer Femi Falana, rejected this suggestion, citing fundamental rights to public assembly and protest.
Adegboruwa said, “We agreed that the citizens of Nigeria are entitled to protest and that the police would not do anything that would hinder or jeopardize the exercise of that right. That was a basic thing we all agreed upon. We also agreed that police have a statutory duty to offer protection to citizens whenever they protest.
“Our area of disagreement was the area of confinement. The police prefer, based on the venue sent to them, we should protest in a confined arena. We insisted that we have a right to rally and embark on procession. They said they don’t have the manpower that would go round across all cities.”
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has called for the withdrawal of soldiers from protest duties, stressing that handling such events is the police’s responsibility. Adeyanju warned that military involvement could escalate the situation, as seen in previous protests.
Adeyanju said, “We write as a pro-human rights law firm to draw your attention to the disturbing deployment of men of the Nigerian Army across the Federal Capital Territory and other cities in an attempt to suppress the scheduled August 1, 2024, national protest.
“The task of providing internal security, including the protection of protesters during the scheduled protest, lies with the Nigeria Police Force and not the Nigerian Army.
“You may also recall that at all times when the armed forces intervened in any protest, including the recent Kenya protest, such protests often escalated into full-blown riots leading to loss of lives and property.
“It is on the premise of the foregoing that we urge you to withdraw your men back to the barracks as we do not want a repeat of soldiers killing protesters as was witnessed during EndSARS.”
The protest organizers remain determined despite the heavy security presence. Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, affirmed their plans to gather at Eagle Square, expressing confidence that their demands would eventually be met.
Adenola said, “We are not deterred. We will be there that day to physically request the use of the venue. We are sure that they will concede to the demands of the people.”
