From Victor Osula, Abuja
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the National Coordinator of Youth Rights Campaign, Michael Lenin.
Lenin is one of the leaders of the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Although DSS Spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, has not confirmed the arrest, Director of Mobilisation, Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, said Lenin was arrested by the secret police around 2 am on Monday, at his residence in the Apo area of the FCT.
“Lenin has been arrested by the DSS. He was picked up during a raid on his house around 2am. He was arrested and tortured in the presence of his family. We are demanding his immediate and unconditional release,” he said.
Lenin, on Sunday, expressed disappointment at President Bola Tinubu’s National Broadcast on the ongoing nationwide protest against hunger and economic hardship.
President Tinubu, on Sunday, appealed to Nigerian youths to suspend the ongoing protest and create room for dialogue.
“…I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity. Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all – regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation,” President Tinubu said Sunday.
Speaking with newsmen, Lenin said the protest would continue massively on Monday, calling on the citizens to come out in large numbers.
He said, “We wish to express our sadness and deep disappointment at the latest broadcast by President Tinubu, which is his first address to the nation on the #EndBadGovernance protests after over three weeks since Nigerians started mobilising to take to the streets and after scores of dead protesters and assaulted journalists from the first three days of the protests.
“Many had requested that the President should just address the nation when the protest was being mobilised and when it started to escalate, but most of us did not know that the President would only justify state violence on protesters and journalists while dismissing the demands of the protesters whenever he decides to speak.
“This, plus the failed attempt to co-opt the progressive and radical language of the protests only shows how much President Tinubu is out of touch with the masses.
“We, therefore, call on Nigerians to come out in large numbers to continue these protests on Monday until our demands are met. The two-pronged approach of violence and propaganda has failed.
“The violence and repressions are just attempts to silence and control us, and the propaganda cannot sway or fool us.”
Meanwhile, organisers of the protest in Lagos said they will converge at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, on Monday, to continue their demonstration.
A statement jointly signed by Hassan Taiwo, Ayoyinka Oni and Adegboyega Adeniji on behalf of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee, Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos State, said they had listened with rapt attention to President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast on Sunday and “consider it rather unfortunate” that it took President Tinubu three days of protest to address the country.
