The Lagos State chapter of the #EndBadGovernance Movement has reaffirmed its commitment to holding a protest on June 12, urging the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to respect citizensโ constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
In a joint statement signed by Hassan Taiwo Soweto and Oloye Adeniji-Adegboyega on behalf of the Organising Committee, the group called on all Nigerians: workers, artisans, students, market traders, commercial motorcyclists (โokadaโ riders), the unemployed, and other marginalized groups to participate in the peaceful demonstration scheduled for Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Coinciding with Nigeriaโs Democracy Day, the protest aims to draw attention to what the movement describes as the Tinubu administrationโs failure to deliver meaningful democratic governance, citing widespread hunger, worsening economic conditions, and growing inequality.
Despite warnings from security forces, the movement stressed that the protest will proceed as planned, declaring, โJune 12 is, by its very history, a symbol of protest and resistance.
The group also cautioned against any attempts at police intimidation, assuring the public that the demonstration will go ahead peacefully, regardless of threats.
Excerpt:
“As we have informed earlier, the take-off point of the protest in Lagos state is Ikeja Underbridge by 7:30 am. We urge workers, artisans, youth, students, market men and women, okada riders, unemployed and all oppressed Nigerians to come out on that day and join us for the peaceful procession.
“We also want to urge the Commissioner of Police, Lagos state to respect our rights to freedom of assembly. We say this due to the unfolding development from the office of the Commissioner of Police in Lagos state. Last week, we wrote to notify the Commissioner of Police in Lagos state.
“Yesterday, organisers of the June 12 action received messages inviting them to a security meeting/interactive session with the CP by 11 am today Tuesday 10 June 2025 at the Police State Command, Ikeja Lagos.
“While all of us made sure to get to the venue at the appointed time in the company of our lawyers, we were shocked to see that the CP who invited us was nowhere to be found. Instead, we were informed by his subordinates that he had gone to Oshodi on another assignment, specifically to provide security for President Tinubuโs motorcade as he departed Lagos for Abuja.”
We were therefore surprised to receive another message this evening from the CP rescheduling the meeting to 4pm tomorrow Wednesday, 11 June 2025 at his conference hall, Police State command in clear violation of the agreement reached.
“Our position is that we stand by the agreement reached earlier on Tuesday that any rescheduled meeting would be held via Zoom.โ
“It was the CP who decided to be absent at a meeting he called, and our position is that a rescheduled meeting should be by Zoom and not a physical gathering at his office.
“Whatever happens, the public should please rest assured that the June 12 protest will go on regardless of any police intimidation. June 12 itself is historically a day of protest.
โEverything about the day stands for protest and resistance. First, it was the day, on 12 June 1993, that Nigerians in their millions trooped out to reject military dictatorship through the ballot. Secondly, when the result of that election was annulled, the Nigerian people trooped to the streets and over the following years engaged in a series of resistance until the military boys were booted out.”
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