Despite the warning by the Federal Government and the Nigerian Police Force, the organisers of the October 1 protest against hardship in the country have insisted they would go ahead as planned.
A former presidential candidate and activist who is one of the leaders of the planned Oct 1 protest, Omoyele Sowore, gave an update on his social media platform X on Monday, insisting on the action, and saying it would be held across the country.
“NO GOING BACK! #FearlessInOctober”, he wrote on Monday.
The nationwide protest will hold at the Eagles Square Abuja, according to the Sowore.
While giving the nature of the protest, Sowore said protests will be peaceful.
“The protests will hold across all parts of Nigeria because the scale of the devastation, hunger, insecurity, and hardship that this government has unleashed on Nigerians is national. I will emphasise again that these will be peaceful protests, as they’ve always been.
“The last protests were peaceful, yet the government met the protesters with batons and bullets.
“We will not be deterred, though. Our only weapon is truth, and no amount of force or violence will prevent us from speaking truth to power,” he said.
The activist further said hunger pangs have spread across the country, adding that it was necessary for Nigerians to tropp out nationwide in protest.
“Between the last protest just two months ago and now, petrol prices have risen by almost N300 per litre. The naira has further devalued, and prices have increased in the market. Bandits have taken over and killed off entire communities. Floods are devastating our cities.
“Under these circumstances, can anyone be surprised that the Nigerian people want to voice their displeasure with this government’s failure to address the issues affecting them?
“We are prepared to come out to protest. We are determined to do so peacefully. I can assure you that thousands of voices will be raised in protest on October 1.
“The pangs of hunger and groans of pain of the Nigerian people will not be drowned out by the government,” he said during an interview session shared on his handle.”
Sowore’s insistence comes after the Nigerian Police Force said they had not been notified of any protest.
“We are fully prepared. Our organisers are on the ground and will not be going into hiding. These are revolutionary times, Nigerians will hit the streets en mass starting from 7 am on October 1,” he later said during an interview session shared on his X platform.
In Lagos, the protest organisers plan to commence their march at the Ikeja Under Bridge at 7:30 am.
Checks by CHANNELS TELEVISION showed that the NPF has started deploying its officers across the states to forestall violence.
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