Just two months have passed since the August 1–10 #EndBadGovernance protests, and some Nigerians are getting ready for new nationwide demonstrations that are scheduled to take place on October 1—that is, 48 hours from now.

The demonstrations are essentially to support earlier demands made by protesters, but the Federal Government has mostly responded with silence despite President Bola Tinubu’s promise in a broadcast to engage in dialogue with protest leaders. The date of the demonstrations coincides with Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day celebration.

Perhaps another factor is the fact that more than a thousand #EndBadGovernance demonstrators are still being held in various prisons around the nation following accusations of treason by the administration.

A few protestors, namely the ten who were charged in Abuja, were given bail, but with the strict requirement that they pay N10 million apiece.

Speaking with Sunday Vanguard, a few Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) expressed concern about the demands made by the demonstrators that have not yet been met, nearly two months after President Bola Tinubu pledged to engage in dialogue with them during a nationwide broadcast in August amid the #EndBadGovernance protests.

Following the announcement of the planned protests on October 1, Rev. David Ugolor, Executive Secretary of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), stated that the government’s response would be contingent upon the demonstrations’ scope and public response. The government might feel compelled to intervene if the protests garner a lot of support from the public, media coverage, and other sources, according to Ugolor.

“However, in the lack of a clear plan for communication, the protests would face resistance rather than support, which might heighten conflicts.”

The demonstrators delivered their requests to the government in August, he continued, and “since President Bola Tinubu mentioned the possibility, there has been no widely reported or concrete dialogue between the Federal Government and the protesters.”

“No meaningful interaction has been seen, despite the fact that a few government representatives indicated they were open to negotiations,” the activist said.

Although the administration has stated that it is open to communication in theory, it is still unclear what concrete actions would need to be taken to start having formal conversations with protestors. This hesitancy shows that the government may not have a firm plan or timetable in place for dealing with demonstrators directly just yet.

In addition, Ugolor addressed the demonstrators who were still being held on remand in jail, stating: “There are grave concerns about human rights abuses and civil freedoms associated with the demonstrators’ continued detention.

“The rights to due process are being violated for individuals who are still in detention, with the aim of suppressing criticism. This can worsen social unrest and reduce public trust in the legal system.”

Ugolor claimed, “Both the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, have historically intervened in cases of rights violations,” in reference to the intervention by the organisations to release the protesters from prison unconditionally.These organisations have made an attempt to support demonstrators who are in custody, however the extent and effectiveness of their actions differ. These groups play a critical role in putting pressure on the legal system to guarantee impartial trials and observance of human rights.

Abiodun Baiyewu, Executive Director of Global Rights Nigeria, stated on her part: “There is no sign that the Tinubu administration will handle protests in a different way.

The administration has been more aggressive in suppressing civic leaders like Omoyele Sowore and the NLC President after the protests in August. Furthermore, the administration has gone so far as to besiege the SERAP offices.

The government has demonstrated a strong intolerance for dissent, and there is no reason to think that they will be more amenable to the demands of protestors this time around.

The populace is incensed. Dissension has also been forced underground by the false accusation of treason. Nobody knows what comes next at this time. It will ultimately catch fire spontaneously if it doesn’t happen on October 1.