A northern group, the Northern Initiative for Growth has formally notified the Inspector General of Police at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja of their intention to hold a peaceful protest across Northern Nigeria on August 1st, 2024.
The northerners said the protest aimed to shine a spotlight on pressing regional issues and advocate for meaningful reforms.
“This protest is our democratic right to address critical issues affecting our region,” stated a spokesperson from the Northern Initiative for Growth Northern.
“We seek to foster positive change through peaceful means.”
In light of the upcoming demonstration, the northern group urged the Inspector General of Police to ensure maximum security and order throughout the event.
They have specifically requested that all State Police Commissioners in Northern Nigeria deploy sufficient personnel along designated protest routes.
“It is imperative that the constitutional rights of all participants are respected,” emphasized the spokesperson.
“We urge law enforcement to exercise restraint and avoid any form of excessive force.”
Acknowledging the importance of maintaining public safety and preventing disruptions, the initiative highlighted their commitment to ensuring a peaceful protest environment.
They expressed confidence in the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to enforce necessary security measures effectively.
“We rely on your leadership to protect protesters and uphold law and order,” the spokesperson continued.
“This protest should serve as a constructive dialogue for change without unnecessary disturbances.”
SaharaReporters had on Tuesday reported that Omoyele Sowore, the convener of #RevolutionNow, released a list of 14 demands from Nigerians to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aimed at addressing the country’s governance challenges.
The demands, published on Sowore’s X account, are a result of inputs from Nigerians participating in the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria campaign. The demands come ahead of the planned “Days of Rage” protests, scheduled to take place from late July to August 2024.
He had said, “So far, these are the commonest but fundamental demands from those who have responded to pursuing a general set of DEMANDs to #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria for the Days of Rage revolt scheduled for the end of July until August 2024.”
According to Sowore, the 14 demands are: “1. Scrap the 1999 Constitution and replace it with a People-made CONSTITUTION for the Federal Republic of Nigeria through a Sovereign National Conference to be immediately followed by a National Referendum.
“2. Toss the Senate arm of the Nigerian Legislative System, keep the House of Representatives (HOR), and make lawmaking a part-time endeavour.
“3. Pay Nigerian Workers a minimum wage of nothing less than N250,000 monthly.
“4. Invest heavily in education and give Nigerian students grants, not loans. Aggressively pursue free and compulsory education for children across Nigeria.
“5. Release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally and demilitarize the South East.
“6. Renationalise publicly owned enterprises sold to government officials and cronies.
“7. Reinstate a corruption-free subsidy regime to reduce hunger, starvation and multidimensional poverty.
“8. Probe past and present Nigerian leaders who have looted the treasury, recover their loot, and deposit it in a special account to fund education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
“9. Restructuring of Nigeria to accommodate Nigeria’s diversity, resource control, decentralisation and regional development.
“10. Reforms of Security Agencies to stop continuous human rights violations and duplication of security agencies and enhance the physical security of Nigerian citizens.
“11. Establish a Special Energy Fund immediately to drive massive, corruption-free power sector development.
“12. Immediate Reconstitution of the Nigerian Electoral Body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove corrupt individuals and partisan hacks appointed to manipulate elections.
“13. Massive investment in public works and industrialisation will help employ Nigeria’s teeming youths.
“14. Massive shake-up in the Nigerian judiciary to remove cabals of corrupt generations of judges and judicial officers that continue denying everyday citizens access to real justice.”
Sowore has declared the ‘Days of Rage’ protests to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the 2019 #RevolutionNow demonstration. He is urging nationwide mobilisation and calling for people to join the movement.
