A nationwide protest under the banner of #FearlessInOctober commenced early this morning in the Federal Capital Territory as demonstrators gathered to voice their grievances over the state of the economy.
The protest is a continuation of the #EndBadGovernance movement, which saw mass participation across the country between August 1 and 10, in response to the worsening economic conditions in Nigeria.
By 7 a.m., protesters had assembled at the bustling Utako Market in the FCT, where the demonstration is ongoing. Organizers and participants are calling attention to what they describe as harsh economic policies implemented by the Federal Government.
The Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, one of the groups leading the protest, expressed frustration with the government’s handling of the economy.
“The hardship in the country is unbearable, and it is directly linked to the policies of the Federal Government,” Adenola said, adding that the government must take immediate steps to alleviate the suffering of the people.
Meanwhile in Lagos, protesters on Tuesday morning, gathered at the Ikeja Underbridge but are however, being closely monitored by a large contingent of security personnel, including policemen, officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Leading the team of policemen at the protest ground is the state Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola.
The protesters are currently chanting solidarity songs, displaying placards bearing inscriptions such as “Reverse electricity tariff now, “End all attacks on democratic rights”, “Reduce petrol price to N197 per litre; end scarcity”, and “Profit soars while people suffer.”
The #FearlessInOctober protest follows a series of earlier demonstrations aimed at drawing attention to the struggles many Nigerians face due to inflation, unemployment, and other economic challenges.
