Protest Organisers Demand Support from Lagos State Government Ahead of Planned Demonstrations

The Take It Back Movement, organisers of the upcoming #EndbadGovernance nationwide protest, has formally communicated its demands to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in preparation for the protest scheduled to begin on August 1, 2024.

In an open letter shared by Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate and prominent activist, the movement outlined key requirements for the protest, emphasizing the necessity of government-provided transportation to designated protest venues. The letter, signed by Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek, the movement’s Lagos Coordinator, was made public via Sowore’s social media platform on July 31, 2024.

The movement expressed concerns over a court order allegedly obtained by the state’s Attorney General, which limits the protest to specific locations within Lagos. This restriction, they argue, undermines the constitutional right to freedom of assembly. The letter stated, “While we frown at this abuse of judicial privilege to stifle freedom of association, the movement…wishes to inform you that since this was your administration’s decision, you must bear responsibility for the movement of protesters from several designations in Lagos to and from Peace Park in Ketu and Gani Fawehinmi Justice Park in Ojota in Lagos.”

To facilitate the planned demonstrations, the Take It Back Movement listed several key demands, including the provision of clean, safe, and air-conditioned buses to transport protesters to the designated venues. These buses, they insisted, must be available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily throughout the protest period, which is set to last from August 1 to August 10, 2024. However, the letter hinted that the protest could extend beyond the initial ten days, urging the Lagos State government to prepare for the possibility of prolonged demonstrations.

The letter also identified several key locations where participants would converge before being transported to the official protest sites. These locations include the Alausa Secretariat, Lekki Toll Gates, Ikorodu Bus Park, Okota Link Bridge, LASU Campus Gates, Iyana Ipaja Underbridge, and Agege Pen Cinema. The movement hinted that additional convergence points might be announced in the days leading up to the protest.

In a clear warning to the Lagos State government, the movement noted that if their transportation demands are not met, protesters would march on foot to the designated venues daily, potentially escalating the scale of the protests. The letter concluded by advising the government’s bus operators to maintain a safe distance from areas designated for rallies and processions to ensure the safety of both protesters andport workers.