Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has instructed top police officials to provide protection for participants in the planned #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled for August 1 to 10, 2024.
This directive comes in response to a request from human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, who wrote to the IGP on behalf of the Take It Back Movement.
In a letter dated July 29, 2024, signed by his Principal Staff Officer, CP Johnson Adenola, the IGP stated:
“I am to inform you that the Inspector General of Police has directed the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (Operations and Intelligence), the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) in charge of Zonal Police Headquarters and the Commissioners of Police (CPs) in charge of State Commands across the country to attend to your request.”
The IGP also requested a meeting with Adegboruwa in Abuja on July 30, 2024, “to deliberate further” on the request.
This development comes despite warnings from security agencies against Kenya-styled protests. The police, military, and Department of State Service had previously cautioned against such demonstrations. However, the IGP’s response indicates a shift towards accommodating the protesters’ rights.
The #EndBadGovernance protest, gaining traction on social media, is set to be held across all states of the Federation and the nation’s capital. It aims to address the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, including soaring food prices and inflation rates, exacerbated by recent government policies such as petrol subsidy removal and forex window unification.
While some politicians have appealed to youths to reconsider the planned rallies, fearing a repeat of the October 2020 EndSARS demonstration, organizers remain determined to proceed with the protest.
