The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has called on youths in the Niger Delta region to join the nationwide protest against bad governance, scheduled to start on August 1, 2024.
The council also urged security agents to exercise caution and avoid excessive force while monitoring the protest, emphasizing the need to maintain law and order without brutality.
Nigerians, frustrated by ongoing hardships, have organized the one-week protest, dubbed “One Week of Rage,” to voice their discontent with the current state of affairs.
In response to the federal government’s efforts to dissuade youths from joining the protest through appeals from traditional rulers and religious leaders, IYC President Dr. Theophilus Alaye criticized statements from the Chief of Army Staff, Inspector General of Police, state governors, ministers, and other top officials opposing the protest. He noted that from colonial times to the present, Nigerians have used protests to express their displeasure with bad governance.
Dr. Alaye stated, “On behalf of the Council, I call on the youths of the Niger Delta, especially those of Ijaw descent, to join the nationwide protest set for August 1, 2024. The hardship faced by the people, particularly those in the hinterlands, is becoming unbearable. Fuel now costs over N2,000 per liter, a sachet of pure water sells for N100, and other essential commodities are beyond the reach of the people. Sudden deaths due to hunger and suffering are becoming common in rural areas.”
Dr. Alaye questioned why the current administration is opposed to citizens expressing their dissatisfaction with the ongoing hardship in the country. He recalled that the APC government came to power in 2015 on the wave of protests against the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for failing to address rising insecurity, unemployment, and corruption.
Alaye emphasized that protesting is a universal right, allowing citizens to draw attention to government conduct, programs, and policies, urging those in authority to tailor their actions for the overall development of the country.
