A prominent human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has told the Nigerian youths to immediately suspend the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
Adegboruwa, in a statement on Friday that the protests, which entered their second day and were initially intended to be peaceful, had been hijacked by fifth columnists and angry individuals, which has now led to the loss of lives and property.
He then appealed to protesters to withdraw from protest grounds and suspend the demonstrations to allow for meaningful dialogue with the government.
Adegboruwa stated, “Though the intention of the organisers was to achieve peaceful and well-coordinated protests, it would seem that fifth columnists and some angry persons infiltrated the ranks of the protesters to derail their laudable mission,
“I appeal to the protesters to withdraw themselves from their various protest grounds and to suspend the protests immediately and indefinitely, in order to give room for meaningful dialogue and engagement with the government.
“Given that the protests were said to have been hijacked by sponsored agents, it is necessary to avoid further losses and casualties. The organisers of the protests and their representatives should embrace dialogue with the government.”
The lawyer expressed his regret for the deaths and losses that occurred during the protests, noting that they were not the intended outcome, and extended his condolences to the families of security personnel and protesters who died.
Recall that Adegboruwa had previously urged the organisers, on the eve of the protest, to reduce the 10-day protest to a single day and called on President Bola Tinubu to directly address the nation and engage with protesters.
He also said the government should thereafter set up a committee comprising men and women of integrity to meet with the protesters to address the issues that they have raised.
