Protest organisers insist on street processions, reject IGP’s proposal

Organisers of the planned August 1 nationwide protests have rejected the proposal by Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), that the demonstration should be conducted in confined spaces.

The organisers insisted that the protest would be a public march across the country.

On Tuesday, there was a meeting between the IGP, Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, the lawyer representing the Take-It-Back Movement.

The meeting was convened following a letter from Adegboruwa on behalf of the Take-It-Back Movement to the IGP seeking police protection during the protest.

During the meeting, which was conducted via Zoom, Egbetokun asked the protesters to hold the demonstration in confined venues, adding that open processions can be hijacked by hoodlums.

The IGP assured the protest organisers of the police commitment to protect the rights of all citizens and ensure all public gatherings are safe for everyone.

Egbetokun also asked them to engage with their respective state police commissioners to coordinate the protest.

However, Adegboruwa said the designated venues stated in the letter to the IGP are mere points of convergence for the protesters.

“We will stick to the venues, which we have specified to the police, but those venues are only points of convergence. They are just places where we are to start the protest,” the human rights lawyer said.

Also, Falana, Adegboruwa, and other stakeholders asked the IGP some questions about the coordination of the protest.

The nationwide protest, with the theme ‘#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria’, is scheduled to start on August 1.

The federal government and President Bola Tinubu have asked the youths to shelve the planned protest.