The #EndBadGovetnance on Thursday recorded a low turnout of protesters in Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode areas of Ogun State.
Our Correspondent, who monitored the protest in Ogun State reported that residents of the State were seeing going about their normal businesses, while banks in the Abeokuta metropolis were under lock and key.
The Moshood Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta, the state capital venue designated for the #EndBadGovernance, was empty, with a heavy presence of security operatives, including the Police, Nigeria Army and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Recall that an Ogun State High Court on Wednesday ordered the sponsors of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests to limit their activities to four locations in the state.
The court also restricted the time frame of the protests to between 8 am and 5 pm.
The four locations are the MKO Stadium, Abeokuta; Ansar-ud-Deen Comprehensive High School, Ota; Remo Divisional High School, Sagamu; and Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode.
There is also a detachment of soldiers in strategic locations across the state capital to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
But at about 11:20 am, about 20 members of #Endbadgovernance protesters arrived at the Stadium, chanting anti-government slogans and were also armed with placards bearing various messages to drive home their grievances.
Some of the placards read “End bad governance in Nigeria, “We are after peace and progress of Nigeria, “Food inflation is killing us, “Dapo Abiodun fix Ogun State roads” among others.
Speaking with our Correspondent, one of the protesters, Olayemi Bolutife, said the protest was aimed at bringing to the notice of the government the need to address the hardship Nigerians are currently battling with.
Bolutife said, “We have right to protest against whatever is not in the interest of Nigerians and the truth is that people are suffering, people are hungry, our leaders should not turn the country to a palliatives country, that is what we are saying
“The President never promised to impose this great hardship on Nigerians, our leaders can’t continue to carry on as if all is well, we are suffering and this is becoming too much. The policies of the government must be tailored in such a way that life would be made easier for all whether you are educated or not”
The protesters arrived shortly after the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu and the Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, David Ojelabi left the stadium.
The protesters did not enter the stadium but were walking up and down the front of the stadium to pass across their messages and were monitored by the security agencies who had been deployed the venue since morning.
Speaking earlier, the State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, David Ojelabi also confirmed that about 20 protesters were said to have engaged in a peaceful protest around Ibadan Road in Ijebu-Ode.
The Commandant said, “We have gone round the Abeokuta metropolis and everywhere is calm, even shops that were not opened before are now opening for business.
“Reports from both Ogun East and West Senatorial districts, show that everywhere is peaceful, except in Ijebu-Ode where about 20 were said to be protesting peacefully.
“So we urge people to go about their normal businesses as the security agencies are on ground to ensure that everyone is secured and safe”.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Police, Abiodun Alamutu also said that every part of the state is peaceful.
Alamutu however said that the protesters are free to have their peaceful protest in designated places across the state.
The CP said “Everywhere is calm and you can see the presence of the security agencies on ground, we are all working han-in-hand to provide security for all, so, there’s no cause for alarm, everything is in order”.
A source also told our Correspondent that the Ota axis of the state is peaceful, although, banks remain shut while some shops did not also open for fear of unknown.
