Security forces occupy Eagle Square as #EndBadGovernance protests hangs in balance

In a move that has raised concerns about the government’s commitment to upholding citizens’ rights, security personnel took over the Eagle Square in Abuja on Tuesday, ahead of the planned #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled for Thursday.

The development comes after a virtual meeting between the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and protest organizers ended in a stalemate. At the heart of the disagreement was the police proposal to confine protesters to a specific area, which organizers argue infringes on their fundamental rights.

Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, solicitor for the protest organizers, maintained that citizens have the right to rally and embark on processions, citing a lack of manpower as the police’s reason for opposing this.

Adegboruwa said, “We agreed that the citizens of Nigeria are entitled to protest and that the police would not do anything that would hinder or jeopardize the exercise of that right. That was a basic thing we all agreed upon. We also agreed that police have a statutory duty to offer protection to citizens whenever they protest.

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“Our area of disagreement was the area of confinement. The police prefer, based on the venue sent to them, we should protest in a confined arena. We insisted that we have a right to rally and embark on procession. They said they don’t have the manpower that would go round across all cities.”

The occupation of Eagle Square by security forces has sparked concerns about the government’s intentions, with many questioning whether the move was aimed at intimidating protesters or preventing the demonstration altogether.

As the protest’s fate hangs in the balance, one thing is clear: the government’s response will be a litmus test for its commitment to protecting citizens’ rights.

Will the government find a way to accommodate the protesters’ demands, or will the demonstration be thwarted by security forces?

The coming days will be crucial in determining the outcome.

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