The organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protest have declared a three-day mourning period to honour the memory of their fallen colleagues who were killed by security agents during the demonstrations.
The mourning period begins today, Wednesday, August 7, 2024, and will end on Friday, August 9, 2024. The activities will include a public symposium and a candlelight procession.
In a statement released by Hassan Soweto, Ayoyinka Oni, and Adegboyega Adeniji on behalf of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee, the decision to declare the mourning period was made following violent attacks on peaceful protesters by police and alleged state-sponsored thugs.
“Arising from a closed-door organisers’ meeting today, Tuesday, August 6, 2024, we have declared three days of mourning in Lagos State to honour our fallen colleagues across the country who were killed by trigger-happy police and security agents during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest,” the statement read.
“The three days of mourning will commence on Wednesday, August 7, with an X Space and end on Friday, August 9, 2024, with a public symposium and candlelight procession.”
The organisers called on all Nigerians and youth supporting the protest to observe the mourning period personally, which may include wearing black attire, updating social media profiles with graphics of the movement, and other acts of solidarity.
“We hereby urge all Nigerian people and youth who support the struggle against hunger and hardship to do everything they can on a personal level to observe these three days of mourning,” they stated.
The rationale for the mourning period was explained in detail.
The organisers criticized the Lagos State government and the Commissioner of Police for failing to protect peaceful protesters.
“The Lagos State government and the Commissioner of Police have made it clear over the course of the past five days that despite assurances to the contrary, they are not in any way prepared to guarantee the right of peaceful protesters to assemble freely without molestation,” the statement noted.
The statement continued, “This explains why, at any slight opportunity, the police at Ojota, as well as at Alausa, have surreptitiously allowed state-sponsored thugs to attack our members and injure them.”
The organisers described an incident on August 5, 2024, when thugs attacked protesters under the watch of police, who allegedly participated in dispossessing victims of their mobile phones and valuables.
The statement expressed concern that the police and thugs were colluding to suppress the protestors’ voices.
“Given how persistent the attacks have been, we believe that the police and the thugs were working together to muzzle our voices,” they said.
They condemned the unprovoked attacks and demanded the return of stolen valuables and a public apology from the police.
The organisers also alleged that President Bola Tinubu was attempting to divide the country to maintain power.
“It is now clear that President Bola Tinubu is on a mission to divide the country and set it aflame so that he can continue to keep himself and the corrupt privileged clique around him in power,” they claimed.
They highlighted the disproportionate killings of protesters in the North and demanded the immediate release of detained protesters.
“At least over 40 protesters, mostly our Northern brothers and sisters, have been killed while hundreds have been arrested and detained over the course of the past few days. We hereby demand the immediate and unconditional release of the National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) Adaramoye Michael Lenin, Babatunde Oluajo, and the hundreds of protesters arrested across the country,” the statement added.
The organisers called for the dismissal of the Inspector General of Police and the establishment of a public probe into the violence and destruction associated with the protests.
They urged the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State to respect their right to mourn and called on President Tinubu to address their unmet demands.