The EndBadGovernance Movement and several civil society organisations (CSOs) in Abuja have called for a mass protest against insecurity and economic hardship, urging Nigerians to join a demonstration scheduled for June 12.

The National Coordinator of Youth Kight campaign Adaramoye Lenin who unveiled the plan during a press conference yesterday in Abuja said the action became necessary due to government’s failure to adequately address worsening insecurity and the economic challenges facing citizens.

He said “We convene this press conference to reiterate our displeasure and dissatisfaction against the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria and demand immediate action to secure the freedom of all abducted children, teachers and other Nigerians currently languishing in captivity in Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, Borno, and several other states across the federation.”

While expressing solidarity with victims of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping across the country, the group said the worsening insecurity has left families living in fear, forced communities to abandon their homes, disrupted economic activities and led to the closure of schools.

The criticized successive federal and state governments for failing to effectively tackle the crisis, arguing that the rise in kidnapping, banditry and terrorism has exposed weaknesses in the nation’s security architecture and been aggravated by poverty, unemployment and other anti-poor policies.

They called for the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted children, teachers and other persons currently being held in captivity by criminal groups.

The groups also demanded the establishment of democratically elected multi-ethnic community security committees, as well as a democratic probe and public audit of security votes at all levels of government.

They further demanded for a comprehensive and democratic public probe of all security votes and other funds embarked for security purpose at both federal and state levels, saying all records relating to security vote expenditures should be published and subjected to independent audits.

According to them, anti-poor policies that have worsened poverty and insecurity should be reversed, while government should make substantial investments in job creation, education, healthcare and social services.

The coalition further urged organised labour, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and allied organisations, to declare a 48-hour nationwide general strike and mass protest in response to the country’s challenges.

The organisers also advocated the creation of an independent political platform through which workers, youths and low-income Nigerians could advance their collective interests.

They called on workers, students, youths, farmers, professional bodies, community organisations, civil society groups and other Nigerians to unite in the struggle for security, justice, accountability and improved living conditions.

The protest is expected to take place in Abuja as part of activities marking Democracy Day. :::