VANGUARD
Organisers of the nationwide protest against hardship, former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, have described as the hollow response of President Bola Tinubu to the protest which was on its fourth day yesterday.
Recall that the protesters had asked the President to address the nation and respond to their 15-point demand if they were to call off the protests.
Not satisfied with the President’s response to the protest, organisers of the protest continued with their action at the Gani Fawehinmi Park at Ojota in Lagos, Osun, and Kano, among other states, yesterday, saying the nationwide broadcast did not address their demands.
The police, however, barred the protesters from holding a procession beyond the designated ground at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota.
President’s broadcast, complete disaster – Adeyanju
One of the main organizers of the nationwide protest, Mr Deji Adeyanju, described the broadcast by President Tinubu as a complete disaster.
Adeyanju said: “President Tinubu failed to address the demands of protesters, not even one, and it is very disappointing and unfortunate because there is no other way to explain it. ‘’Those people at the Villa cannot make the President see or hear what is going on in the country. The President could not order the arrest of people who killed peaceful protesters in the last couple of days and it is really sad.
“The President’s broadcast to the nation was just a complete disaster, a very disappointing broadcast indeed.
“Our expectations from the broadcast were so many, that he has spoken with political leaders at all levels, politicians are now willing to make sacrifices for the country because on day one of his administration he asked Nigerians to make sacrifices they are failing and refusing to make sacrifices.
“The issue of fuel subsidy, electricity tariff was on the front burner, and many other things we were expecting to hear from the President, unfortunately, none of these things were dealt with.’’
Coordinator of the protest in Osun State, Ajala Adetunji, said his group, Coalition of Concerned Nigeria Citizens, would meet to discuss the way forward but was emphatic that the ongoing protest would continued since the President did not address any of their concerns.
“Our protest is not a one-man show, especially as Osun’s case is concerned. Regarding President Bola Tinubu’s address this morning (yesterday), he did not address any of our concerns.
“The president was not specific on what the government will do to address the demands of the youth. The president’s call for dialogue is an open-ended appeal, which does not have a clear indicator of what will be done.
“However, we are still going to meet to deliberate but as it stands, the protest continues in Osun,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Emmanuel Olowu, Secretary, Osun Coalition of Civil Societies, which is also part of the protest, said the President’s appeal for an end to the protest and dialogue would be discussed at a meeting of the various groups later in the day.
‘He said: As far as the President’s speech is concerned, he has not addressed our worries, but that not withstanding, we will converge later to discuss way forward on the protest.’’
Protests continue in Kano
In Kano, hundreds of protesters yesterday hit the streets in continuation of the ongoing nationwide protest against hunger and to end bad governance, expressing dissatisfaction over the President’s nationwide broadcast.
This is even as the state government yesterday relaxed the 24-hour curfew by six hours (8 am to 2 pm) to ease the toll the curfew was having on on residents.
The protesters, mainly youths, carried out the protest around Bakin Zuwo and Koki in Dala local government area; Sharada in Kano Municipal and Gadon Kaya in Gwale local government areas.
They were seen displaying the Russian flag, saying they would return to Russian President, Vladimir Putin, for help, while in some other places chanting, “koya gyara sai ya sauka”, meaning “whether he (Tinubu) adjust or not, he must go”.
An eyewitness in Bakin Zuwo, Malam Salisu, said the protesters in their large numbers hit the streets to protest against bad governance.
“I saw the protesters in their numbers around 10am. They were holding the Russian flag. They were protesting against the bad governance, issues of insecurity and hardship among others,” Salisu said.
Katsina churches were attacked, valuables stolen, and buildings damaged
In Katsina, hoodlums hijacked the protest, invaded churches, looting and destroying properties under the guise of the ongoing nationwide protest against bad governance.
The protesters earlier stormed the Living Faith Church in Daura local government area, damaging the building and stealing all its valuables.
The newly renovated church, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, suffered damage to its doors and windows as the hoodlums ransacked the building.
According to an eyewitness, the hoodlums also attacked two other churches, Deeper Life Church and Anglican Church, though the extent of the damages there was not immediately clear.
He explained that the hoodlums used Keke Napep (tricycle) to transport the stolen items from the church premises.
When contacted, Pastor David Jato, in charge of the Living Faith Church, confirmed the attack on the church premises.
Narrating the ordeal, he said: “It happened around 10;00am on the first day of the protest. The hoodlums, many of whom were in Keke Nappe (Tricycle), chased the church’s security guard away, broke the door and windows, and entered the auditorium.
‘’They packed and destroyed everything inside the church auditorium, including the pulpits.
The list of items reportedly stolen from the church auditorium includes three Plasma TV used for displaying church programmes, musical instruments, over 205 plastic chairs, pastor’s chairs, a desktop computer at the reception and a digital clock as well as a scoreboard where the accountant usually kept the church’s documents.’’
Pasto Jato revealed that as a result of the damage, today’s (yesterday) service could not hold in the church auditorium. They had to worship in their various home cells instead.
The hoodlums only succeeded in invading the Living Faith Church and Deeper Life, but could not force their way into the Anglican church because of the strong protector at the gate.
Similarly, in Katsina, the state capital, the Power of Resurrection Church was also vandalised by the hoodlums.
Reacting to the development, the former chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Katsina, Rev. Nelson Onyekachuku, condemned the violence.
He emphasised that the government needed to address the demands of protesters and ensure the protection of places of worship.
Tinubu’s speech hollow, fails to address hardship among Nigerians — Atiku
Also reacting to the President’s broadcast yesterday, former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, dismissed the broadcast as a hollow speech, devoid of solutions to the hardship facing Nigerians.
