New Fearless Protest To Hit Streets Nationwide As Protesters Issue Tough Demands (See List)

The organizers of the recent #EndBadGovernance protests, which disrupted economic activities across Nigeria, are planning another round of nationwide demonstrations in October.

Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), confirmed the upcoming protests in a statement on Saturday.

Earlier protests, held from August 1 to 10, were sparked by worsening economic conditions in the country. Although intended to be peaceful, they were hijacked by non-state actors, resulting in the tragic deaths of 17 participants in states like Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna, and Jigawa. The protests also led to injuries and the arrest of over 1,135 individuals nationwide.

In Kano State, some miscreants vandalized government properties, looted belongings, and even flew Russian flags while advocating for military rule. Authorities arrested around 873 suspects, including a foreign national, who were transferred to Force Headquarters in Abuja for further investigation on charges of sedition.

Deji Adeyanju mentioned ongoing efforts to secure the release of those detained, while Sowore confirmed that some detainees had already been freed. He expressed gratitude to human rights attorneys involved in these efforts and warned that the federal government could face an ultimatum if it continues to detain protesters unjustly.

The planned October protest, dubbed #FearlessInOctober, is a response to what organizers describe as President Bola Tinubu’s failure to address the demands of the EndBadGovernance protesters. These demands include:
1. Abolishing the Senate and making lawmaking a part-time endeavor with only the House of Representatives remaining.
2. Increasing the minimum wage to at least ₦250,000 per month.
3. Releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally and demilitarizing the South East, as well as releasing and compensating all EndSARS and political detainees.
4. Ending banditry, terrorism, and violent crimes, and reforming security agencies to prevent human rights violations.
5. Overhauling the Nigerian judiciary to remove corrupt elements that deny citizens access to justice.
6. Allowing diaspora voting.

Sowore emphasized that the upcoming protest would be more prolonged than the August demonstrations and dismissed rumors of ongoing negotiations with the federal government, stating, “I am not part of any negotiations. We are all working on our next set of prolonged protests tagged #fearlessinOctober.”