Insecurity: Activists, labour, youth leaders protest in Lagos, Abuja, others

Rights activists, leaders of labour unions and youth bodies and civil society organisations took to the streets of the Lagos, Osun, Edo states and Abuja on Monday protesting against deteriorating insecurity and what they called bad governance in Nigeria.

In Lagos, an activist and lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), led the protest, which included his musician son, Falz, and others, under the theme ‘National Day of Action Against Insecurity in Nigeria’.

They marched to the Lagos State secretariat at Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital, where they were received by members of the state House of Assembly.

Falana said there was a need to provide for the poor so that peace could be guaranteed in the country.

He urged states that had not adopted the Child Rights Act to urgently do so and take the children off the streets to enable them to get an education.

“The South-West has 54 universities; graduates are being churned out daily but nobody is planning for their future.

“We are asking you because Lagos is where everybody comes to. This is the home of every Nigerian, and we are asking you to intensify your efforts and increase the budget of the poor so that there will be peace.

“It is now clear in our country that without peace for the poor, there cannot be peace for the rich. For those who want to fight banditry and terrorism, we must put all our children in school.”

In Osun State, protesters converged on Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo at 9.30am and later marched to the popular Oke-Fia Junction.

They chanted anti-government songs and waved their placards and banners with various inscriptions such as ‘End insurgency now’, ‘Things are getting worse in Nigeria’ and ‘Buhari should speak up’.

Leader of the groups, Waheed Lawal, said, “I urge the residents of the state to rise against injustice, killings and other sad issues in the country.

“Despite the richness of Nigeria in natural resources and fertile land, our economy still suffers greatly. Poor leadership has put the country in the wrong direction, leading to untold hardship among the masses. We are out today to sensitise the residents of Osun to always ask for a better Nigeria.”

In Edo State, an activist, Osagie Obayuwana, said the protest was meant to call the attention of those in position of power to honestly tackle the deteriorating insecurity and bad governance in Nigeria.

Obayuwana, a former Edo Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said, “We gathered at New Benin Market and we were to move to this place, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre. There is an agency of the Edo State government called PUWOV with volunteers on matters of public works. But they attacked us, destroyed our banners and placards, took away our laptops and smashed them. They said we were against the government of Godwin Obaseki. How can that be?

“The protest is a nationwide mobilisation against insecurity and mass poverty in the country. Our coming out today is to say that the Nigerians can no longer keep quiet.

“At no time in the history of our country has insecurity been as terrible as it is today. You cannot travel from one town to another. Even within your village, you cannot go from your house to your farm. Children in schools have been objects of abduction.”