By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday, met with lawyers and activists who have spoken in support of peaceful protests planned by young Nigerians against government policies.
Apart from Mr Egbetokun, others who attended the virtual meeting include police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, Senior Advocates Femi Falana and Ebun Adegboruwa, and human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong.
Mr Effiong, who had pledged legal support for arrested protesters, provided some details of discussions at the meeting.
“When I was invited to speak, I asked the IGP specifically if he was aware of the trending video in circulation showing some thugs in Lagos threatening to unleash violence on protesters and warning people not to join the protest?” he wrote on X
“I also asked him if he will direct the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to arrest the said thugs to serve as a deterrent to those who are planning to cause unrest. The IGP, sadly, did not address this particular question, despite the fact that he was reminded of my question by other participants.”
A video had been trending on social media showing some thugs threatening to attack protesters in Lagos and warning Lagos residents not to protest.
The police have yet to release their version of what transpired at Tuesday’s meeting.
The meeting is believed to be part of the Nigerian government’s efforts to prevent the planned protest by young Nigerians from turning violent.
The young Nigerians, who have been mobilising on social media, have vowed to proceed with the protest on Thursday despite calls by the government, traditional rulers and clerics.
The protesters are demanding economic reforms, including the reversal of the government’s removal of petrol subsidies, which led to a 300 per cent in the pump price of petrol last year.
Since last year, government policies have led to astronomical increases in the prices of goods and services, leading to Nigeria’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.
The government has taken various steps to suppress the protests including arresting some suspected promoters.
Between Friday and Tuesday, the State Security Service (SSS) and the police have arrested no fewer than seven people across Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto and Niger states. These people, some of them now freed, were arrested for either marketing the protest kits or promoting the protest slogan online.
In Niger State, a district head was stripped of his traditional title for simply declaring support for the upcoming nationwide protest.
This newspaper reported that the IGP, Mr Egbetoken, met with all commandants of mobile police units across the country in Abuja last Saturday. One of the commandants told our reporter that the meeting was in connection with the protest.
The use of mobile police suggests that the government suspects the protests could turn violent and there would be the need to use force against the protesters.
Last Thursday, President Tinubu met with Islamic clerics, traditional rulers and All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.
All three groups have appealed to Nigerians to shelve the protests.
Despite calls to shun the protest, the organisers remain resolute.
Specifically, they are calling for the reversal of the fuel price hike to below N300 per litre, the restoration of affordable electricity tariffs, and the reduction of import duties to their previous rates.
The groups also demand the reversal of the hike in tertiary education fees by many institutions
The protesters are also demanding full transparency and accountability in governance, including the public disclosure and reduction of public officials’ salaries and allowances and an emergency fund to support SMEs.
They also call for electoral reforms, including the autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), electronic transmission of live electoral results, and the reopening of national borders.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that on Monday, some protesters blocked a major highway leading to Abuja.
The protesters carried placards with several inscriptions such as ‘We Are Not Slaves’, ‘Enough is Enough’; ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’, ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’ and ‘Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back.’
The police later dispersed the protesters, forcing them to postpone the demonstration till 1 August, the original starting day of the planned protest.
Mr Effiong said the police want the protests restricted to specific locations.
“The IGP also advised (or should I say took the position) that the protests should be confined to specific locations),” he wrote.
“This made me to ask the IGP directly if the police will disrupt any protest that is held outside the locations that have been communicated to him; given his advice that protesters should not embark on marches or rallies but should be restricted to identified venues.
“The IGP responded to me that there is no plan to disrupt rallies on the road or any protest held outside the ‘designated’ venues.
“However, he further indicated that the police cannot guarantee the security of protesters who are not confined to the locations that have been communicated to him or CPs in the various States.”