Arewa Youth Ambassadors, a coalition of northern youths today, Wednesday, July 31, announced their “full participation” in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests scheduled to begin tomorrow, August 1 and end on August 10.
In a statement signed by Yahaya M. Abdullahi, the group declared that they were fully prepared to participate in the 10-day protests, insisting that they would “rather die fighting for our rights and freedom than succumb to the oppressive forces of hunger and poverty.”
“As we join the nationwide protests against bad governance, we say enough is enough. We will no longer watch as our leaders’ loot our resources, destroy our economy, and leave us to suffer,” the statement read, in part.
“We are not afraid of bullets, we are not afraid of tear gas. We are afraid of a life without purpose, a life without hope. And that is what our leaders have given us.
“We demand change, we demand justice, and we demand it now. We will not be silenced, we will not be intimidated. We will fight for our future, even if it means giving our lives.
“To our leaders, we say: you have failed us, you have betrayed us. But we will not be defeated. We will rise up, we will resist, and we will reclaim our country.”
“To our fellow Nigerians, we say: join us, stand with us. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can create a better future,” the Arewa youth coalition urged, adding: “We better die on the street by our country’s bullets than live a life of slavery and oppression.”
But also in another development today, an FCT high court issued an ex parte order restricting participants in tomorrow’s hunger strike to the MKO Abiola stadium, also known as National Stadium.
The order of Justice Sylvanus Oriji was sequel to an ex-parte motion filed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Chief James Onoja (SAN) who moved the motion on behalf of Wike argued that the reliefs sought were for the interest of national security.
Wike had applied for an order of interim injunction restraining the five leaders of the protesting groups from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, streets, offices and public premises within the FCT between August 1 to August 10, or any other day thereafter, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
He also applied for another order of interim injunction mandating the security agencies to prevent the protesting leaders from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, offices or public premises within the FCT between August 1 and 10, pending the hearing of his motion on notice.
The Minister who said that the federal government was not averse to the protest claimed that intelligence and security reports reaching him indicated that some elements within the leadership of the protesters intend to capitalize on the planned protest to cause havoc and irreparable damages to public facilities and blocking of roadways to prevent movement of persons and vehicles and disturb public peace.
He claimed that when he contacted the security agencies to ensure that the planned protest did not degenerate into criminality and disturbance of public peace and order, he was told that they are not well equipped to manage any crisis that may arise from the planned protest at a short notice hence they advised him that prevention is better than cure.
The Minister tendered an exhibit from the “Take it Back Movement, FCT”, signed by one Damilare Adenola, in which they threatened to invade the Presidential Villa and also threatened to pull down the outer wires facing the Aso Rock villa during the protest
Besides, they demanded that the FCT provide them with light as well as a toilet during the duration of the protest.
In his ruling, Justice Oriji, who recognized the rights of the protesters to embark on the protest, however, restricted them to the Stadium in view of the genuine fears expressed by the minister.
“In the light of the above, the court considers it appropriate and expedient to grant an order under the omnibus or general prayer to ensure that the rights of the protesters are guaranteed and that the protest does not negatively or adversely affect the rights of other citizens to move about and to ensure that properties and other public facilities are not destroyed”, the judge held.
He therefore ordered the 1st to 5th respondents to “use the Moshood Abiola Stadium” only for the protest.
Meanwhile, the court ordered the service of processes in the suit as well as the confinement order on the respondents by placing the same in newspapers.
Defendants in the suit are Omoyele Sowore, Damilare Adenola, Adama Ukpabi, Tosin Harsogba, persons unknown, Inspector General IG of Police, Commissioner of Police, Director General of the State Security Service, Director General, Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air staff, Chief of Naval Staff as 1st to 12th respondents.
