Organisers of the October 1 protests have vowed that unlike the #Endnadgovernance one, there was no going back on this one.
The latest one with the hashtag #FearlessOctober1, according to the organizers, they have declared that the police, Department of State Services, and the military would not stop them from embarking on the demonstration as planned.
The organisers have also written to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to request security during the demonstration, noting that protest is a fundamental right they would not submit to any state agent.
The National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, and Director of Mobilisation of the group, Damilare Adenola, said they were mobilising nigerians from different parts of the country for the protest.
“We have also written to the Inspector General of Police, informing him of our protest locations and reminding him of the constitutional duty of the police to protect protesters as opposed to the repression we have witnessed in times past,” said Sanyaolu.
They said the FCT protest would hold at the Eagle Square, where the Independence Day parade would take place, while that of Lagos has bee slated for the Ikeja Under Bridge.
The IGP has ordered the Force zonal and state commands to deploy Police from Monday to strategic locations until a stand-down order was given.
Egbetokun also ordered the policemen to dress in camouflage with hacets, even as he asked the Assistant General of Police and Commissioners of Police to engage and discourage available civil society groups and individuals from participating in the protest.
One of the leaders of the protest, Omoyele Sowore, said the youth were not afraid of the police, adding that the protest would go on as planned.
Sowore said it is not true that the youths are afraid as he said were being peddled in some quarters.
“Nobody has expressed to us or anyone that they’re afraid because they know we are not violent protesters; maybe you should ask that of the government,” he added.
Lawyer to the organisers, Deji Adeyanju, said it was wrong for the police to summon protesters who were exercising their right.
The organisers said the protest would be nationwide, adding that only ‘immediate reversal of fuel subsidy removal’ would dissuade them from the demonstration.
