A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has cautioned the Federal Government against threatening the organisers of a planned nationwide protest over the harsh economic climate in the country.

Social media has been rife with hashtags about the protest which is billed to happen next month. While the Federal Government and security agencies have cautioned against the demonstrations, Falana says threats won’t aid in shelving the protest.
“How do you identify those who are issuing statements; those who are planning the protest, and then engage with them productively?” Falana asked on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.

“But threats do not work. In fact, on some occasions, the desperation of the government also has a way of popularizing such protests.”

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday asked the organisers to shelve the planned protest.
“The issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that. He’s asked them to shelve that plan. He’s asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas,” the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, said at the State House in Abuja.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, also sent out a note of warning over the protest, claiming it may turn violent.
But Falana is asking the Federal Government to identify the leaders of the planned protest and dialogue with them instead of making threats.
“So, this time around the government should try to identify the leaders of the movement and then engage them, and then the questions can be raised. There are demands that are being made, and the government should address these demands,” the revered legal practitioner said.

“Between now and the first of August is still a long way and I understand the government is going to address the nation. It is also important for governors to really come out and let the people know what they are doing to address hardship in the country, which nobody is denying.”

Also, Falana said that the violence that trailed the #EndSARS protest was instigated by the Federal Government, claiming that about 99 Nigerian youths were killed in Lagos with several others in other states of the federation.

He accused the Nigerian government of sending troops to kill the youths in Lagos, Oyo, and Benin among other states.
“The violence that characterised the end of the #EndSARS protest was instigated, fuelled and sponsored by the government,” he said.
“The government decided to unleash hoodlums and thugs on the young people. When that did not work, the government sent troops and soldiers to engage in the killing of young people.”

Angry youths have decided to embark on a nationwide protest over the hardship, poverty, and high cost of living among other economic indices.

The protest tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’ is gaining traction on social media, and has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organisers of the protest have been faceless.

While President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday asked the organisers to shelve the planned protest, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has cautioned over the protest, claiming it may turn violent.

But Falana is asking the Federal Government to identify the leaders of the planned protest and dialogue with them instead of making threats.
“So, this time around the government should try to identify the leaders of the movement and then engage them, and then the questions can be raised. There are demands that are being made, and the government should address these demands,” he said.
“Between now and the first of August is still a long way and I understand the government is going to address the nation. It is also important for governors to really come out and let the people know what they are doing to address hardship in the country, which nobody is denying.”