TUC: Security Must Protect Protesters

The Trade Union Congress (TUC), has asked the federal government to ensure that security agencies maintain peace and protect citizens including those participating in any protest.

It said government should ensure that the action of the security agencies did not lead to the degeneration of the situation they are deployed to control.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the TUC President, Festus Osifo, said though the union was not behind the planned hunger protest, security agencies should be careful so that it did not lead to chaos.

He called on the leadership of the security agencies and the Inspector General of Police to ensure a peaceful protest by protecting the protesters and other Nigerians so that there will not be loss of lives.

“So, we don’t want a situation whereby the protests goes on and at the end of the day, it leads to violence. So, once again,we call on the Inspector General of Police and the entire security agency to do everything possible to provide security for whoever wansto carry out protests,” he said.

We Won’t Support Planned ProtestWhose Intention is Unknown, Says S’East Group

A group, South East Youth Development for Good Governance and Better Development (SEYDGGBD), has said it would not support the protest because it didn’t know the true intention.

The group in a statement by its National Coordinator, Hon. Henry Ejiofor, after an emergency meeting of stakeholders, urged the people of the region against the protest because the sponsors were unknown.

“As a forum, we are making this national call to South East youths and others across Nigeria not to allow faceless individuals to use them.

“As a region, we are grateful to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for signing South East Development Commission Bills, and also to South East leaders that facilitated the bill.

The group added that the region should not pay good for evil even as President BolaTinubu recently d to the South East Development Commission Bill.

Kalu: Shelve Protest for Economy’s Sake

Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Orji Uzor Kalu, has called on the youths to shelve plans to hold a national protest, saying such action would affect the economy immensely.

He said though it was within the rights of every Nigeria to protest, embarking on such exercise now would have huge effects on the country.

Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, and immediate past Chief Whip of the Senate, said “while embarking on national protest may be beneficial to our democracy, it is not expedient to our economy.

“I am appealing to our youths to consider suspending the planned August protest to save possible damages and liabilities on the country’s infrastructure and private businesses.”

Shelve Protest, Join Hands With EFCC to Fight Corruption, Fatoba Advises Youths

Chairman, House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values in the House of Representatives, Hon. Fatoba Steve Olusola, has advised Nigerian youths in to shelve the proposed protests.

Fatoba representing Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1 made this appeal during an interactive session with journalists in Ado Ekiti.

He said even though the country was currently going through some challenges, he believed it was a structural adjustment that would enable the country to find a lasting solution to the economic challenges facing it.

He appealed to those planning to protest to rather go to the dialogue table and by supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom he believes is on the right track to Nigeria is back on track.

“I implore our youths to rather form a pressure group which will join hands with the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) to make sure whoever is alleged to have embezzled public funds be made to face the consequences without any interference inthe course of judgement, ” he said.

Kaduna Group Distances Self from Protest

Coalition of Concern Citizens of Kaduna State (CCCKS), has distanced itself from the planned nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, Convener of the group, Aliu Sanni Mohammed, said the group “completely stands against this maliciously stage managed planned protest in Kaduna state and across the country.”

According to him, the decision against the planned protest was taken following series of consultations and painstaking analysis of the dangerous consequences of the protest.

He said, “We categorically distance ourselves and say no to any protest aimed at destroying the nation and destabilising the relative peace Kaduna state has been experiencing in the last few months.

“This decision became necessary following series of consultations and painstaking analysis of the dangerous consequences of this protest, how it will drive us backward economically and possibly plunge the state and the country into crisis, chaos, terror and anarchy.”