Nationwide Protests’ Situation Room decries continued detention of abducted protesters, frowns at raid on NLC Headquarters

● Calls for release of Ms Angel Innocent, Micheal Lenin, Opaluwa, Mosiu and other nationwide protesters

● Organised Civil Society to initiate independent probe into reckless use of force on civil protesters and clamp down on Labour House by Security Forces

[Press Release] The Situation Room of the organized Civil Society, which officially monitored the August nationwide hunger protests under auspices of United Action Front of Civil Society frowns at the continued detention of key Leaders of the Protests abducted from their various homes in gestapo manner by security operatives in the dead of the night during the recent nationwide protests against hunger and economic hardship in the country.

The Leadership of the United Action Front for Civil Society, the official Monitors of the August Nationwide Protests also decries the mindless raiding of the Labour House, the National Headquarters of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC in Abuja by Security operatives under the cloak of darkness based on what they called the ‘Suspicion’ that a most wanted criminal and terrorist was using the place as hiding abode.

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However, the United Action Front of Civil Society has decided to initiate an independent civil probe to unravel the causes of the violence and deaths which characterised the nationwide protests in various parts of the country, the clampdown on civil groups and how to prevent future occurrence. To this end, a committee of eminent Nigerians from across the six geo political zones of the country shall be immediately set up to undertake this crucial historic task in the interest of the stability of Nigeria

The organized Civil Society, while calling for remorse and retreat by Nigerian security agencies on the dastardly security operation against Civil populace and Labour, wishes to demand the immediate release of all protesters including their leaders, especially Ms Angel Innocent, Micheal Lenin Adaramoye, Opaluwa Eleojo, Mosiu Abolaji, among others who were blind folded before their abductions from their various homes by security agents by 2am in Abuja.

This becomes imperative now that rumour is now very strong that security agents plans to secretly eliminate these protesters, especially their leaders in their incarceration to forestall future protests. We therefore urge the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to ensure that nothing untoward happens to any of the 1,423 Protesters in various detentions nationwide to prevent violent reactions from protesters during the next round of citizens’ mass action proposed against the current economic policies stoking hunger and hardship in the country.

Finally, the Leadership of the organized Civil Society wishes to call on President Tinubu to order the immediate release of civil protesters currently being detained across the country by security agencies and to immediately initiate dialogue on key demands of the nationwide protests before the next round of National mass Protests proposed for October this year by the leaders of the nationwide protests in averting an explosive citizens – government face-off, which is inimical to the economic well-being of Nigeria. For a stitch in time, they say, saves nine.

Signed:
Olawale Okunniyi
(Veteran Che)
Head, Coordinating Secretariat,
United Action Front Civil Society
Abuja
August 19, 2024