Metro

‘No going back’, organisers of #EndBadGovernance protest tell Nigerian Govt

Published

3 months ago

July 27, 2024

Organizers of the planned #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled to hold across Nigeria from August 1st to the 10th have refused to back down despite pleas from the government, politicians, religious bodies, traditional rulers and respected leaders of thought.

The nationwide protest is aimed at drawing the attention of the government to the unbearable hardship, hunger, high cost of living, and bad governance and despite attempts by government at different levels and security agencies trying everything possible to dissuade the organizers to shelve their plans, they have insisted on going ahead with their plans of hitting the streets as planned.

The groups numbering over 26, made it known on different platforms that they would take to the streets to protest the prevailing hardship, hunger, and bad governance and there would be no going back.

To show their seriousness, they have to at least 20 state governments and the security agencies seeking permission to use state infrastructure to carry out their civic duty.

Some of the groups, according to findings, include Concerned Nigerians, Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative for Change, Take it Back Movement, Revolution Now, Human Rights Co-Advocacy Group, Nigerians Against Corruption Initiative, Citizens for Change Advocacy Initiative, Timely Intervention, and Active Citizens Group.

Others are Students for Change, We Coalition, Total Intervention, Refurbished Nigeria, Tomorrow Today, Our Future in Our Own Hands Initiative, Youths Against Tyranny, and Call a Spade a Spade Movement, among others.

One of the organisers of the protest and the Convener of the Revolution Now Movement, Omoyele Sowore, also released a list of locations for the upcoming #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, scheduled to take place in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate, listed the designated locations for the protest in various states including Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Enugu, Jigawa, Ekiti, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory, among others.

“The listed locations include Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki/Ajah axis, Badagry, Ikeja, and Epe in Lagos State; Kano main town in Kano State; Azare and Bauchi town in Bauchi State; Enugu city and Nsukka in Enugu State; and Dutse and Kazaure in Jigawa State.

“Other locations are Ado-Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti State; Calabar in Cross River State, and Gwagalada and Central Business District in the Federal Capital Territory, among other,” he said.

Another organiser who is the Director of Mobilisation of the Take it Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, said in a statement that the protest was backed by several groups in the country.

“This is not about one group or another. It is about angry and hungry Nigerians who are tired of this system. Protest is our right. Nobody can take it away from us.

“We have already written to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to avail us of the National Stadium built with taxpayers’ money for our peaceful demonstration,” he said.

Adenola said they have demanded the provision of 24-hour power supply, toilet facilities, water, and security for the convenience of citizens who would be camped out at the location.

The statement titled, “Request for use of Eagle Square Abuja for #EndBadGovernance protest”
reads:

“As one of the groups organizing the forthcoming #EndBadGovernance protest, #DaysOfRage starting from August 1st to 10th, 2024, we at the Take It Back Movement write to your esteemed office to notify you of our decision to use Eagle Square as a point of convergence for patriotic Nigerians to demand better governance.”

A representative of Nigerians Against Hunger, Tunde Thomas, who also spoke on the protest, said Nigerians were tired of the hunger in the land.

“Our demands are simple – End hunger. We cannot be the most populous black nation in the world and be hungry.

“The country is in a mess. We need to recognise that. Members of our group are mostly in the Middle Belt and in Cross River. We would come out en masse and make sure we don’t stop till our demands are met.”

While echoing the same resolve, the National Chairman of the Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria, Jabir Yaro, said:

“Nothing will stop this protest. Nobody in this world can stop this protest. It will happen and everybody should come out en masse to protest. No level of intimidation will stop us.”

Related Topics:EndBadGovernance Featured Hardship Hunger Nigeria Protest

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Metro

33.1m Nigerians to face food crisis in 2025– Report

Published

11 hours ago

November 2, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A new report released on Friday by the Cadre Harmonisé (CH) for the month of October has predicted that as many as 33.1 million Nigerians in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would face acute food and nutrition crisis between June and August 2025, an increase from the approximately 25 million people currently experiencing food crisis in the country.

The prediction which was contained in the CH Analysis Report released during a workshop in Abuja, was jointly conducted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), the Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and other partners.

The report also the states projected to be affected as Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba, Katsina, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, and Benue.

Others are Cross River, Enugu, Edo, Abia, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kwara, Ogun, Lagos, Rivers, and the FCT, which also includes 514,474 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

FAO Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Kouacou Koffy, who spoke at the presentation of the report, called for urgent attention and a unified approach to address food and nutrition security in the country.

“With the concerted efforts of the government, CH stakeholders, and the international community, we can move closer to alleviating hunger and reducing suffering for Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.

“We are facing unprecedented challenges affecting livelihoods and food and nutrition security globally, regionally, and nationally,” he said.

Koffy lamented that Nigeria is experiencing a combination of shocks, including economic factors affecting the prices of staple crops and agricultural commodities, climate-related events such as floods and droughts, and insecurity.

He explained that the goal of CH workshops is to analyse available food security data and contributing factors to identify populations and areas at risk of food and nutrition insecurity in the country, with a view to proposing appropriate measures to prevent or mitigate ongoing food crises.

“CH analysis is the most reliable and widely accepted early warning tool for humanitarian programming, food security, and livelihood response targeting, as well as for prioritising development programmes.”

Also speaking at the workshop,
Temitope Fashedemi, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, pledged the government’s commitment to applying the findings of the report to guide food and nutrition security programmes across states, while Balama Dauda, CH Focal Person for the National Programme on Food Security, identified key drivers of the food crisis as high prices of foodstuffs and non-food items, flooding, and insecurity.

Metro

Detained Zambian journalist Zgambo released on K10,000 bail after two weeks

Published

1 day ago

November 1, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Prominent Zambian journalist, Thomas Zgambo, who was in detention for two weeks on allegations of criminal defamation against President Hakainde Hichilema, has been released on a K10,000 bail.

Zambia Monitor reports that the 52-year-old Zgambo was arraigned at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on charges of libel and seditious practices, and was granted bail by Magistrate Chrispin Hampungani.

According to the newspaper, the charges alleged that Zgambo, alongside co-accused, Steve Zimba, engaged in seditious activities through a Facebook page, “Zambian Whistleblower – ZWIB.”

The two were accused of publishing posts targeting President Hakainde Hichilema, claiming conflicts of interest involving government-linked business dealings.

“Additionally, Zgambo faces libel charges under Section 191 of the Penal Code for alleged defamatory remarks posted on “Zambian Whistleblower” on May 5, 2022,” the report said.

The accusations also included claims that State House aide Lawrence Mwanayanda and United Capital Fertilizer Zambia executive Chance Kabaghe planned to single-source government fertilizer supplies for personal gain.

During the bail hearing, Zgambo’s lawyer, C. Nyimbili from Makebi Zulu Advocates, argued that his client posed no flight risk or threat to witnesses.

“The accused is of fixed abode and can secure sureties to ensure his court attendance,” Nyimbili stated, adding that Zgambo is a law-abiding citizen.

After he pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him, Magistrate Hampungani granted the bail request, ordering Zgambo to post K10,000 in recognizance, with two sureties to match the amount. The Magistrate also fixed November 29 for a plea hearing.