Author: Festus Adeloye

As the nationwide protests to end bad governance entered its second day, Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr Peter Obi has called on President Bola Tinubu to address the nation to help alleviate the rising tension in the country. Obi, speaking at his residence in Onitsha in Anambra State, emphasised the need for the President to directly engage with the public and address their legitimate concerns. Refuting claims about his location during protest after a video surfaced showing him in Abuja on the first day of protests, the former Anambra governor stated, “I am here in Onitsha;…

Rights activist and Convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, has urged protesters to persist with the nationwide #EndBadGovernance demonstrations. This call for continuation comes after Human Rights Lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN, a prominent figure with the Take It Back Movement, advised an immediate suspension of the protests. Adegboruwa had expressed regret over the deaths and losses incurred during the demonstrations, emphasising that such outcomes were not the protests’ intended goals. In a statement sent to TheScrutiny, Adegboruwa urged, “I appeal to the protesters to withdraw themselves from their various protest grounds and to suspend the protests immediately and indefinitely,…

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar and the President Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh have pleaded with Nigerians to call off ongoing protest over violence and killings. The two religious leaders who are Co-Chairmen of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in a statement, imagined how many lives and properties that would be destroyed if the protest continues as many lives have already been lost and properties damaged at the first day of the protest. They called on the government to expedite action towards meeting the yearning and…

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotosho has pleaded with the #EndGovernance protests to shelve their protest. Omotosho spoke at Ojota Park on the second day of the demonstrations, saying the government had heard their demands. ”For our people protesting, we have heard their rights, we have heard their say, Sanwo-Olu the governor has said he has heard them. Now it is time to go home, now it is time to end their protest,” he said.

Armed security operatives halted protesters marching to Eagle Square from MKO Abiola National Stadium at the Central Business District junction near the United Nations building at 12:55 pm today, firing teargas canisters to disperse the crowd. One protester is feared shot dead while trying to escape. The protesters, who began their march at 12:39 pm, regrouped at the MKO Abiola National Stadium by 1:50 pm, engaging security forces in a shouting match. They warned against the use of brute force to stop the protest, demanding that President Tinubu address their grievances. The protesters are calling for the return of fuel…

Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has refuted claims that he directed telecom companies to disrupt network services amid the nationwide protests that began on August 1. The denial comes in response to widespread frustration among Nigerians, who reported unusually slow internet speeds from major telecom providers. This led to speculation that the Federal Government might have ordered the disruptions to hinder the protests. In an interview with Channels Television, Tijani addressed the rumors, stating, “There’s no instruction to tamper with (phone) networks.” He attributed the slow internet speeds to a surge in online traffic, as many…

A former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has hailed #EndBadGovernance protesters for their ”noteworthy” feat while advising the government to listen to the yearnings of its citizens. Atiku made this call on Friday on his official X handle while praising the peaceful manner protesters have aired their grievances. See full statement The commencement of public protests across the country yesterday is noteworthy. These demonstrations have opened a vital channel for the public to express disapproval of government policies, furthering the essential conversation about good governance in our nation. For the most part, protesters have conducted themselves with admirable peace…

Rights activist Aisha Yesufu has urged lawmakers in the Red Chamber to impeach Senate President Godswill Akpabio for mocking citizens when they were planning the hunger protest now ravaging the country. Yesufu, BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) Convener, posted on X (Twitter) that Senators will not encounter resistance if they decide to get rid of the man who said in a viral video that aggrieved Nigerians willing to protest can go ahead, “but let us be here eating.” Akpabio has since hired a communication consultant to work back his comment without impressing many people, as he could not deny making the insensitive statement…

A detachment of fully armed men of the Nigerian Police on Friday morning forcefully dispersed a group of protesters at around the Berger bridge in Abuja. Some passers-by and motorists who were caught off-guard could be heard accusing the police of high-handedness. An Abuja high court had earlier granted an injunction seeking to confine protesters to the MKO Abiola National Stadium. Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike had on Thursday night urged protesters to obey the court order, but leaders of the protesters say they had not been served with a copy of the said order.

Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, has declared a 24-hour curfew after the hunger protest turned violent in the state. Declaring the curfew in a state broadcast on Thursday night, the governor noted that the restriction is with immediate effect. He however stated that it will be relaxed from 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday to allow Muslims to participate in the Jumm’at congregational prayers. The governor blamed the state government’s decision on the looting that characterised the #EndBadGovernance protest in the state. “As a result of that, we are introducing a 24-hour curfew in Jigawa State and this curfew will…