The federal government of Nigeria has issued a stern warning, cautioning that the nation’s stability could be severely impacted if a proposed nationwide protest proceeds as planned at the start of the upcoming month.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, held a closed-door meeting with ministers in his office in an effort to prevent an upcoming protest.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammad Idris, issued a warning about the protest during a meeting with members of the Charismatic Bishops Conference, led by Archbishop (Professor) Leonard Kawas.
Idris expressed the government’s concern about the potential protest against economic hardship, citing the negative effects of similar demonstrations in other parts of the world, such as Kenya and Bangladesh.
He also voiced worry that the protest might be exploited by arsonists and criminals to cause violence and harm to innocent Nigerians.
Idris stated, “Why everybody is very cautious and very weary of this national protest is because we have seen what has happened around the world.
“We know that it’s almost impossible to hold this protest and then have peace at the end of the day. We cannot do that because some people are waiting to take the laws into their own hands.”
He stated that while the administration of President Bola Tinubu recognized the freedom of all Nigerians to participate in demonstrations, it was also dedicated to guaranteeing that these activities did not disturb public peace or infringe upon the rights of others.
According to him, “You see, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes in the freedom of everyone within the confirms of the law to do what he thinks is right for him.
“Therefore, the president is not an opponent of protest of any kind. But the president is an opponent of violence and anything that will hamper the well-being of Nigerians.
“He believes and he has always been saying that within the tenets of democracy, you have every right to do whatever you want to do provided that right does not infringe on another person’s right.”
Idris stated that Tinubu is fully aware of the concerns of Nigerians all across the country and he is actively working on implementing effective policies to address the challenges faced by the citizens and provide relief to all Nigerians.
The minister mentioned that one of the government’s upcoming policies was to start paying stipends to young university and polytechnic graduates after they finish the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program until they secure formal employment.
“But beyond that, there is also another new policy that the president has formulated, which will begin to be seen very soon, and that is that all young men and women who have finished universities and polytechnics and have certificates and have done their mandatory NYSC, and have not been able to get jobs, will have something from the government to keep them afloat until the time they get jobs.” The Minister added.
Meanwhile, The President General of the Charismatic Bishops Conference, Archbishop (Professor) Leonard Kawas, has made it clear that the conference does not support the planned national protest.
Archbishop Kawas said they have received numerous calls from various groups urging them to participate in the protest, but they have officially dissociated themselves from it.
Kawas said, “Recently we received some calls from some other religious organizations and other organizations asking us to join in preparation for a nationwide protest, which would start from 1st August 2024.
“We are here to let you know that we do not think the same. That we have rather decided to go all out and call for a truce. We have decided to sue for peace and humbly request that our brothers and sisters, who are aggrieved in one way or the other, that they should give us some time while we continue to communicate and negotiate with this government on areas that are pertinent to them.”
