Residents of Lagos State have reported threats from suspected miscreants warning them against participating in the upcoming hunger protest, scheduled from Thursday, August 1 to Saturday, August 10.
In a viral video clip circulated on Tuesday, voices of unidentified individuals were heard chastising market vendors, urging them to avoid the protest, warning it could lead to greater destruction than the #EndSARS protests.
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One voice in the video stated, “Anyone confident should come out on Thursday to protest. Are you the only one hungry? If you dare come out for the protest, you will be mercilessly dealt with. If they burn your shops, who will be responsible for it? On Thursday, if you truly believe in your cause, come out and protest. You are not the only ones who are hungry; we don’t want things to be destroyed in Lagos. We will not allow it.”
In response to the planned hunger protest, some youths in Lagos held a solidarity march to counter the nationwide demonstration scheduled for August 1. The march aimed to dissuade others from participating in the protest and to promote peace in the state.
Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has also addressed the situation, urging all groups planning to participate in the protest to submit their details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states. He emphasized the importance of maintaining public safety and order during the protest.
“We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest. However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide the necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place,” Egbetokun stated.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has declared that there is no longer a need for the planned nationwide hunger protests. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, addressed State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday, which was presided over by President Bola Tinubu. Idris assured that the government is addressing the demands of aggrieved Nigerians and is working to ensure food availability.
“The government is already addressing some of the demands made by aggrieved Nigerians and is making efforts to ensure that food is made available,” Idris said.
In addition to the Federal Government’s stance, various organizations, including the Christian Association of Nigeria, politicians, and other notable individuals, have called on youths across the country to cancel the planned protest. Despite these appeals, there are still concerns that the protest might continue in some parts of the country and could be hijacked by individuals with malicious intentions.
