Sifte Radio

Tag: TAKE IT BACK MOVEMENT

  • UPDATE: FULL LIST – Protesters Present Demands to Tinubu August 1 Nationwide Protest

    UPDATE: FULL LIST – Protesters Present Demands to Tinubu August 1 Nationwide Protest

    Protest organizers in Nigeria have issued a list of demands to President Bola Tinubu’s government, highlighting economic and governance challenges. The nationwide protest, scheduled from August 1 to 10, aims to address issues such as hunger and poor governance. Key demands include restoring the fuel subsidy, increasing the national minimum wage to N300,000, and reversing educational fee hikes. Protesters also call for transparency in governance, electoral and judicial reforms, and efforts to combat inflation and corruption. There are concerns about potential criminal elements hijacking the protests.

    Who are the Organizers of the Planned Protest?

    Mobilized through social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), various groups have come together to organize the protests. These groups include the Take It Back Movement, Concerned Nigerians, Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative for Change, and many others. They reflect a diverse coalition united by a common goal: addressing economic hardship and advocating for comprehensive reforms.

    Protesters List Their Demands

    As reported by BusinessDay, the demands reflect a broad spectrum of issues, highlighting the diversity and complexity of the movement. Here are some key demands:

    1. End Anti-People Policies

    Protesters demand an end to policies perceived as detrimental to citizens, including overtaxing and electoral fraud, which have contributed to widespread suffering and frustration.

    2. Reversal of Fuel Price

    They call for reversing the recent fuel price hike to below N300 per liter and restoring affordable electricity tariffs and import duties to previous rates.

    3. Increase in National Minimum Wage

    The demand for increasing the national minimum wage to N300,000 contrasts with the N70,000 recently signed into law by Tinubu.

    4. Reversal of Education Fee Hikes

    Protesters seek to reverse the hike in tertiary education fees imposed by many institutions.

    5. Transparency and Accountability in Governance

    Protesters demand transparency and accountability, including public disclosure of officials’ salaries and the establishment of an emergency fund to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

    6. Electoral Reforms

    They call for the autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), electronic transmission of live electoral results, and reopening national borders.

    7. Economic and Judicial Reforms

    Protesters demand reforms in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a state of emergency on inflation, and a judicial reform to ensure swift and fair justice.

    8. Public School Mandates and Local Product Support

    They demand that children of public office holders attend public schools and that the government patronizes made-in-Nigeria goods.

    9. Judicial and Constitutional Reforms

    The groups seek a transition to a unicameral legislature, scrapping the 1999 Constitution, and replacing it with a people-made constitution through a Sovereign National Conference, followed by a National Referendum.

    10. Abolishment of the Senate

    Protesters advocate abolishing the Senate, retaining the House of Representatives to make laws on a part-time basis, and reinstating a corruption-free subsidy regime to reduce hunger and poverty.

    11. Probe of Past Leaders

    They call for a probe of past and present Nigerian leaders who have looted the treasury, with a focus on recovering and reinvesting stolen funds.

    12. Restructuring of Nigeria

    Protesters demand restructuring to accommodate diversity, resource control, decentralization, and regional development. They also call for security agency reforms to stop human rights violations.

    13. Special Energy Fund and Public Works Investment

    The establishment of a Special Energy Fund for power sector development is demanded, alongside investment in public works and industrialization to employ Nigerian youths.

    14. Diaspora Voting and Judicial Reforms

    Protesters call for diaspora voting to allow Nigerians abroad to vote and demand a judicial shake-up to remove corrupt judges and officers.

    Concerns Over Protest Security

    The federal government has voiced concerns about the protests potentially being hijacked by criminal elements. Police in Lagos neutralized an explosive device, highlighting security risks. Despite these concerns, organizers remain determined to proceed with the protests.

    Source: Foxnigeria

     

     

  • Nationwide Protests Begin In Nigeria Over Economic Hardship

    The long-awaited #EndBadGovernance protest in Nigeria has kicked off in several cities across the country.

    The protest will hold from August 1st to 10th.

    Business activities were grounded in some parts of the country on Thursday, while roads were also deserted as protesters defy last-minute push by authorities to stop the demonstrations.

    In Abuja, protesters gathered early at the approved Moshood Abiola National Stadium before moving to the Eagle Square.

    In a bid to stop the protesters from advancing to the Eagle Square, the Police fired tear gas to disperse them.

    There were also counter-protesters at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

    One of the organisers of the protest in the FCT, Comrade Deji Adeyanju insisted that the protesters will not be intimidated by security operatives.

    He told newsmen at the MKO Abiola Stadium that the protesters will be peaceful and desist from acts of violence.

    He however cautioned security operatives to refrain on infringing on the rights of the protesters and should rather provide them adequate security.

    In Lagos, Protesters gathered at Ikeja Underbridge but later marched to the court approved location at Ojota for further rallies.

    The large crowd of protesters at the Gani Fawehinmi park, carried placards with various inscriptions.

    The police was on ground to prevent miscreants from hijacking the protests.

    Protesters also had a short gathering around the Lekki Toll gate to demand good governanance in the country.

    You need to know that the toll gate in Lekki is not part of the two designated locations directed by the court in Lagos.

    Some of the protesters told newsmen that they decided to demonstrate at the toll gate because of the distance of their homes to the confined locations in the state.

    They insisted that it was their right to protest as Nigerians and won’t allow a court order to invalidate their rights.

     

    #EndBadGovernance protest in Kano turns violent

     

    It was a different story in Kano as the protest turned violent in the state.

    Most of the busy roads in the city were empty with less vehicular movement and there were no tricycles for commercial operations.

    Protesters looted the yet-to-be-commissioned Nigeria Communication Commission Industrial Park while a part of the premises was set on fire.

    There were also reports of Kano protesters going on a looting spree to steal furniture, mattresses, bags of rice, and other reported items emerged.

    Thirteen persons have been arrested in connection to various cases of vandalism in the state while a 24 hour curfew has been declared.

    While the hunger protests were ongoing, other set of anti-protest demonstrator surfaced around the Tarauni local government area of the state, carrying placards with various inscriptions in support of the government.

    Bomb blast in Borno kills 16 persons

    In Borno, there is also a 24-hour curfew in all 27 Local Government Areas of the State.

    In a statement, the police said the curfew was declared following an explosion in Kawori area of the state that led to the death of 16 persons.

    The statement added that the police had held consultations with the State Governor Babagana Zulum and other critical stakeholders before arriving at the decision.

    In Anambra state, economic activities and government operations were grounded as many businesses were completely shut down.

    There was no single protester in sight.

    There were only a few police personnel who were seen at strategic places monitoring the development.

    Some residents said the successful grounding of activities in the state through sit-at-home, was enough protest.

    There was an appreciable turnout of protesters in Asaba the capital city of delta state.

    Commercial centres, including banks and markets, were closed during the peaceful protests which began about 11:00 am.

    The Protesters with placards bearing inscriptions such as #EndBadGovernment and “Hardship Everywhere” gathered at the popular Interbus Roundabout amid a heavy presence of security agencies.

    They matched through the streets of Nnebisi and anwai Roads but they were stopped from gaining access to government house by security men.

    Not satisfied with the development, they returned to their base at interbus roundabout where they were addressed by the police.

     

    POLICE IG reacts

     

    The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun says the ongoing nationwide protest is a deliberate attempt to create mayhem in the country.

    In a statement released on Thursday, the IGP said the mayhem was targeted on the polity, innocent citizens, markets, stores, private and public properties, as well as critical infrastructure of government.

    According to him, the name given to the movement behind the protest, “TAKE IT BACK MOVEMENT” has far-reaching undemocratic, unconstitutional and illegal connotations.

    He gave the assurance that the police will use all constitutional means in curtailing any violence that might result from the protest.

     

    Source: Swifteradio.com