Organisers of the planned #EndBadGovernance nationwide demonstrations slated for August 1 have rejected a proposal by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun for confined protests.
At a meeting with the organisers on Tuesday, July 30, the IGP suggested confined protests in identified locations and advised against street rallies. Egbetokun said some persons calling for violence during the forthcoming protests have been arrested. He warned against street processions which he said could be hijacked by fifth columnists and enemies of the state.
“It is not advisable to go on street processions because as you are planning a protest, some are planning violence,” the IGP advised.
“Confining peaceful protesters to particular locations will help us a lot.
However, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), a lawyer for the Take It Back Movement, one of the groups organising the nationwide protests, rejected the proposal of the IGP.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), other lawyers, civil society organisations, as well as some arrowheads of the planned protests also attended the virtual meeting and rejected the restricted movement.
Adegboruwa highlighted some of the points of convergence for the protests as Eagle Square, Abuja; Alausa Park, Lagos; Akpakpava Lane, Benin City; School of Agric, Bauchi; Rosewale Filling Station, Iwo Road, Ibadan; Maiduguri Roundabout, opposite State Stadium, Damaturu, Yobe State; Rainbow Roundabout and Pantani Stadium, River and Freedom Park, Osogbo.
After the IGP’s proposal, Adegboruwa said there would be street processions before protesters converged at specific locations sent to the police.
Egbetokun subsequently said the police would provide security cover for protesters at confined locations sent to the Force Headquarters.
“I will not be able to guarantee security for your members if you embark on street processions,” the IGP said. “I believe that a peaceful protest in a confined location will be safe” he warned
