Police invite #EndBadGovernance protesters ahead of October 1 big march against hunger

The police in Lagos have invited several members of the #EndBadGovernance Movement ahead of the October 1 nationwide march against hunger, petrol price hikes, and the continuous detention Adaramoye Michael Lenin and dozens of others who participated in the August 1-10 demonstration.

Recall that a coalition of civil society groups, including the Education Rights Campaign, Movement for Foundational Change, Youths Rights Campaign, Joint Action Front and Pan African Consciousness Renaissance, yesterday announced that the October 1 protest would kick off in Lagos at the Ikeja Under Bridge beginning from 7:30 am.

The protesters said unlike the August 1-10 protest where a court order restricted them to Ojota, they would not be restricted this time around to any location. They said such court orders are illegal because they are at variance with domestic and international laws that recognise protest as a legitimate tool for citizens to express their displeasure against the government.

In reaction to the planned protest, the Lagos Police invited several organisers of the #EndBadGovernance movement in Lagos, including Comrade Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Oloye Adeniji Adeboyega, Aishat Omolara, Isaac Obasi and others.

The protest organisers were said to have received the invitation from the office of the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command through their phones for a 4 pm meeting today (September 27).

A statement by the group said even though the invitation was late, they would attend the meeting. They, however, assured the police that no intimidation would stop the protest. “Not even any threat of arrest. Protest is a fundamental right and we shall not concede it whatever happens.”