I want to add my voice to the planned #OccupyLekkiTollGate protest and the counter-protest this coming Saturday.

The decision to resume the protests has been prompted by the decision by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry to permit the resumption of activities at the Lekki toll gate after it was closed in the aftermath of the terror attack on peaceful protesters at the toll gate by the military and the Police on October 20, 2020.

The first point I want to highlight is that government has failed to take full responsibility for the hijack and escalation of the peaceful #EndSarsProtests to the violence that quickly spread nationwide. If government had not mobilised, paid and deployed hoodlums to infiltrate the protests, attack the protesters, hijack and derail the protests in a bid to discredit the protesters by portraying them as violent, the violence would not have precipitated. Government must be sincere, take full responsibility and exhibit good faith.

My second point is that at the point when the attacks on the peaceful protesters had increased and reported in many cities, with videos showing some of the hoodlums being transported in official government vehicles, it had become clear that government was determined to terminate the protests by any means and violence was foreseeable. At that stage, I called on the genuine protesters to beat a tactical withdrawal and further the struggle by other means, especially as the protests had proved largely successful with government conceding that the protesters were acting within their right to peaceful expression. Government had also accepted to meet the demands of the protesters. I argued that the demonstrations could have been suspended with a clear statement that it would resume if government reneged on its commitment to meet the demands and delayed to take concrete actions in fulfilling its promises.

My call for a tactical withdrawal was criticised by some people. Eventually, my prediction that the protests could be hijacked or violently broken up came to pass.

With the plan to resume the protest and the threat of a counter protest by people, some of whom may be paid agents of government; with admonition by some well meaning patriots; with caution by the federal government, Lagos State government and the Lagos State Police Command against the protests, there is a clear picture of a likely violence and needless casualties. This warrants a rethink by the protesters.

It is not cowardice to retreat when it is tactically expedient and reasonable. It does not detract from the fact that peaceful protest is a constitutional right guaranteed to all citizens in a democratic society.

•Okechukwu Nwanguma is Executive Director is Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC)

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