A nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship began in Nigeria on Thursday, August 1. It will hold till August 10, 2024.
The protest on Thursday opened with protesters restricted to specific locations. Before the protest began the Lagos State High Court restricted the protest to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota.
Another location was the Peace Park in Ketu.
It was not just about location restriction, but the government also gave specific times from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Regarding Protest Restrictions
Juwon Sanyaolu is the National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement (TIB).
Before the protest began, he said he had not received any court notice, with a notification regarding the restriction of their planned Lagos protest to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and the Peace Park in Ketu.
The TIB is among the groups organising the nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship, scheduled to run from August 1 to 10, 2024.
Earlier on Tuesday, a Lagos State High Court issued a restriction order, confining the protest to these two parks.
Justice Emmanuel Ogundare granted the ex parte application filed by Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro.
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The TIB leader, Sanyaolu, along with Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba (for the Active Citizens Group), Hassan Soweto and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, were named as defendants.
The court’s interim injunction prohibits the defendants from protesting in Lagos outside the approved locations and times – 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Additionally, Pedro justified the application by citing the need to protect state infrastructure.
The decision to restrict the protest to specific locations was to prevent potential loss of life and property, recalling the 2020 EndSARS protests.
Responds From Activist
In response, Sanyaolu, on Wednesday, July 31 stated he had not been served with the court order, dismissing it as rumour.
He questioned how one could comply with an order they had not received or seen.
Sanyaolu also emphasised that the buses provided for protesters must be clean, safe, and air-conditioned, arriving at the parks by 6:00 a.m. and returning at 6:00 p.m.
Failure to provide transportation would result in protesters marching to the designated parks daily during the protest period.
However, when asked about the provision of buses for the protesters, State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said a statement would be issued.
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