Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to engage immediately in dialogue with the leaders of the protests planned for October 1, 2024, expressing disappointment over the delay in his promise to initiate discussions with them.
As Nigeria prepares to celebrate its 64th Independence Day, tensions are high due to the scheduled nationwide protests, which follow the August #EndBadGovernance demonstrations where citizens demanded economic reforms in the face of rising hardships, particularly fuel price hikes.
The unrest persists partly due to the government’s detention of over 1,000 #EndBadGovernance protesters, many of whom remain in prison on treason charges. While some have been granted bail, they are required to pay hefty sums, such as the N10 million imposed on the 10 protesters in Abuja.
CSOs including the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Transparency International (TI), and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) have called on Tinubu to honour his commitment to dialogue with protesters. Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, speaking on behalf of the CSOs, stressed that peaceful protests are important but urged the government to demonstrate serious intent by addressing the protesters’ grievances.
“President Tinubu promised to hold discussions with the protesters and stakeholders, but has yet to act on it,” said Rafsanjani, adding that the government’s silence suggests a lack of commitment to resolving the issues that sparked the August protests. He further called on Tinubu to initiate dialogue and avoid the planned protests, urging the government to show it is willing to address the problems facing Nigerians.
Meanwhile, protest leaders have called for peaceful demonstrations, urging participants to refrain from violence or damaging property.
**Varsity Students Oppose Protest, Demand CNG Bus Distribution**
In a contrasting stance, the National Association of University Students (NAUS) has rejected the planned October 1 protest, instead calling on the Federal Government to distribute 3,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to universities to mitigate the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
NAUS national president Comrade Josiah Oche Peter made this appeal during a press conference in Abuja, while also urging the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) to standardize fuel prices across stations and ensure that the country’s refineries are functional.
While acknowledging the current hardships caused by rising fuel costs, Oche Peter called for dialogue with the government and encouraged students to avoid protesting unless absolutely necessary.
Federal Government Distributes 64 CNG Buses to Ease Transportation
In a related development, the Federal Government has distributed 64 CNG buses to the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as part of its efforts to reduce transportation costs following the removal of fuel subsidies.
The buses, part of a broader initiative to roll out over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles, were handed over during a ceremony in Abuja ahead of Nigeria’s Independence Day. Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, explained that this is part of President Tinubu’s strategy to provide affordable transportation and support economic stability through cleaner energy solutions.
Police Assure of Security During Protest
Ahead of the planned October 1 protests, security agencies have assured the public that peaceful demonstrations will not be hindered. Police officers in both the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos have been deployed to strategic locations to ensure the safety of protesters, as well as the protection of lives and property.
