A group, Ladies Empowerment Goals and Support Initiative (LEGASI) in collaboration with the Kaduna State Peace and Security Network has called on Nigerians to be peaceful during the planned August 1 nationwide protest against hardship in the country.
Addressing a press conference tagged: #EndBadGovernment protest in Kaduna on Tuesday, the Programme Manager, LEGASI, Mr. Aiyelu Timothy Lawrence tasked security agencies to ensure protection of lives and property of protesters.
“We are calling for a peaceful protest, we are not in support of violence, destruction of lives and property whether individual or government property.
“The organisers must ensure that the process is as peaceful as possible. Reason we are not advising people to stay off this protest is because protest is part of democratic principles,” Lawrence said.
According to the group, protest is citizens’ power and the only alternative for citizen to vent out their grievances.
“If we ask people not to protest, then what other alternative is there for people to vent out their grievances? The government have always called for dialogue but in this country, dialogue has always been very unfruitful.
“Yes, it is true that there is a possibility that this protest is going to be hijacked but then, it is the responsibility of security agencies to ensure that it does not happen. People should write to police for protection, not to seek for permission,” the group said.
The group however urged President Bola Tinubu to address the numerous challenges bedeviling the nation’s economy as a way of assuaging the anger and frustration of the people.
“We call on all the local and international human rights bodies to beam their searchlight against aggressive clampdown through the use of brute force by security agencies,” Lawrence said.
LEGASI also called on religious leaders to minimise their engagement in partisan politics.
