Shun violence, respect rights of others, bishops urge protesters

• Implore FG, states to attend promptly to distress calls
• Yoruba Obas ask Nigerians to shelve plan
• Withdraw your men, Adeyanju tells CoAS

The Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, comprising Ibadan Archdiocese, Ilorin, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Osogbo Dioceses, has called on organisers of the planned nationwide protest to be civil, peaceful and decorous during the exercise.

The Prelates also urged the organisers to either maintain peace and respect the wish of other Nigerians, who didn’t join, or call off the protest.

They charged government at all levels to cultivate the habit of responding to distress call of the Nigerian people and turn a new leaf by responding promptly and effectively henceforth to the problems and distress of Nigerians if they don’t want citizens to protest against bad governance.

The charge was contained in a communiqué issued, yesterday, and co-signed at the end of their bishops’ second meeting by Chairman and Secretary of the Province, Most Rev. Leke Abegunrin and Most Rev. John Oyejola respectively, which was held at the Domus Pacis Pastoral Institute, Igoba, Akure, Ondo State, on Tuesday and entitled: “Groaning in Prayer and Action: Hope Shall Not Die in Nigeria.”

The bishops also charged security agents to maintain highest standard of civility and show restraint in discharging their duties and avoid violence and accidental deaths, which seem to have characterised past exercises in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Yoruba traditional rulers, under the aegis of Yoruba Obas Forum (YOF), yesterday, implored Nigerians to shun the protests, saying that the demonstration would only plunge the country into serious disaster.

The Forum called on the organisers to enter into a constructive dialogue with the federal and state governments rather than embarking on any action that could unsettle the nation.

However, in a letter to the Inspector-General of the Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, the youths, under the “Take It Back Movement,” through its lawyer, Ebun-Olu Onagoruwa, said that they would gather at Eagle’s Square by the Secretariat, FCT, Abuja; Alausa Park by the Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos; Opposite Wema Bank, Akpakpava Lane, Benin City, Edo State; Opposite School of Agric, Bauchi, along Tafawa Balewa Road, Bauchi State; Rosewale Filling Station, Iwo Road, Ibadan, Oyo State; Maiduguri Roundabout, opposite State Stadium, Damaturu, Yobe State; Rainbow Roundabout and Pantani Stadium, Gombe State and Freedom Park, Osogbo, Osun State.

Onagoruwa, in the letter, stated: “Our client acknowledges the commitment of the Inspector-General of Police towards complying with extant legislations granting citizens the right to hold public meetings, public rallies and public processions and the lawful discharge of the obligations placed upon the police to provide adequate coverage and protection at the venues.

“We shall be glad to have the contact details of the Deputy Inspectors- General of Police, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, and the Commissioners of Police designated to cover the said public meetings, public rallies and public processions, to ensure a peaceful and crisis-free outing.”

Also, an activist, Deji Adeyanju, has written to the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Taoreed Lagbaja, to request that soldiers remain in barracks during the protests.