The Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, has urged residents to steer clear of violent protests that could result in the destruction of public property, reminiscent of the 2020 #EndSARS demonstrations.
According to The PUNCH, the SSG shared this advice on Tuesday while addressing journalists following a routine security meeting with local government secretaries at the state secretariat in Alausa, Lagos.
The 2020 protests, during which youths called for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, saw several public properties, including a Bus Rapid Transit terminal, set on fire by hoodlums, and reports indicated that lives were lost.
With the rising cost of living and staple foods, some Nigerians are planning another protest set to begin on August 1, 2024, and continue until August 10.
The protest, dubbed ‘End Bad Governance in Nigeria’, aims to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the hardships faced by citizens.
Salu-Hundeyin, while affirming the right of Nigerians to protest, urged residents to avoid violent demonstrations that could disrupt the peace currently enjoyed in the state.
She remarked, “This is the state that does not owe any pensioner a Kobo. If you retired today, you should be expecting your pension immediately. The Lagos State Government is doing so much.”
Highlighting various state initiatives, she added, “Is it the Ilera Eko, the New Insurance Medical Schemes, the university we are building, the blue line rail, and others?”
Acknowledging the legitimacy of peaceful protests, Salu-Hundeyin emphasized, “It is a legitimate right for citizens to protest; there’s nothing wrong with it. The only thing people should worry about is that we do not want violence because the nascent peace we enjoy in Nigeria now and the development we are seeing, particularly in Lagos State, should not be truncated.”
“We do not want anything to tamper with all that the state is currently enjoying. During the last protest (EndSARS), we saw the destruction that happened. They have a right, but their rights should not be for destruction.”
Chairman of Scribe 57 and Ikeja SLG, Akeem Dauda, echoed similar concerns, describing the planned protest as “unnecessary.” He noted that local efforts would be made to discourage participation.
“We have resolved that the protest is uncalled for and unnecessary based on what Lagos State, led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has done in the last year. We feel strongly about educating them about why the protest in Lagos is unnecessary.”
“As local government people, we will tell our children, family members, and communities that what we have now in the country is something that we must protect jealously. We will continue to tell the government what the people want,” he stated.
