Group Cautions Youths Against Violent Protest, Warns Police Against Victimizing Protesters

Sequel to the national protest scheduled to commence on August 1, 2024, a group under the auspices of Concerned Citizens of Delta State has appealed to youths in the state to abstain from violent protest and embrace dialogue.

The group also called on the federal government led by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to implement socio-economic policies and programmes aim at addressing the plights and aspirations of Nigerians urgently.

In a press briefing held in Ughelli on July 31, 2024, the leader of the group, Comrade Kelvin Ejumudo, appealed to the youths to engage the government with constructive dialogues rather than embarking on violent protest to worsen the country’s economic and security woes.

While emphasizing on the citizens’ right to peaceful demonstration, Ejumudo cautioned the security agencies against victimization of innocent protesters, saying that it is the right of Nigerians to protest against the inaction of the government at all levels.

“While we advise the protesters to be law abiding and ensuring safety. We are also calling on the security agencies not to take the protest as an avenue to arrest, victimize or prefer frivolous charges against innocent protesters.

“We are addressing the press today (yesterday) because of the security distress we received from security agencies that some criminal elements might want to use the protest cause mayhem. We know what we suffered during the EndSars protest, and we don’t want to suffer such again,” said Ejumudo.

According to him, “Just today (yesterday) we hear of an attempted prison break in Imo state. If they succeed, more criminal elements may flow from there into the State and that might result to unrest.

“We don’t want our people to run helter skelter while they are hungry. They must be alive because a dead man cannot fight for justice,” he added.

The hunger and starvation ravaging Nigeria is alarming as it calls for concern. In the wake of this is “End bad Governance Protest”. The prevailing economic hardship is telling on every family member in the country.

Continuing, the group said, “It’s the right of the youths to protest peacefully against government insensitive to their plights and yearnings over the years. But they should not infringe the right of others or instigate violence during the protest.”

Kelvin Ejumudo further urged the government to role out measures to reinvigorate the country’s national assets including the Refineries, noting that Dangote Refinery is not enough to serve the country of over 200 million people.