Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
A group on the aegis of Concerned Non-Indigenes in Edo State, has said it has backed out from the planned national protests bids to hold on August 1-10 citing what happened at the #EndSARS which started on 8 October 2020 and continued in major cities across the country and attracted international mainstream media attention.
The spokesperson for the group, Segun Omojola disclosed this in a statement signed by him and made available to journalists in Benin City.
According to him “In light of the proposed nationwide protest to address the current economic challenges in our country, Concerned Non-Indigenes in Edo State, rising from its emergency meeting in Benin City on Wednesday, would like to urge all non Indigenes residing in the state to shun participating in the protest if it eventually holds as planned
“While we understand and empathize with the citizenry over the hardships faced by the people of our great nation, we firmly believe that engaging in the said protest may potentially lead to violence and further escalate the situation especially with present political situation of the state.
“We acknowledged the current economic difficulties in the country and expressed solidarity with the general sentiment of the populace.
“However, we feel it is imperative to caution all of us against becoming involved in the protest here in Edo state due to the potential risks associated with it.
“We don’t need to remind our people how previous instances of peaceful protests in the state have unfortunately resulted in violence and loss of lives as experienced in the #EndSARS protests and the cash swap demonstrations.
“It is therefore emphasized that it is crucial for all non-indigenous residents of Edo State to distance themselves from such protests to maintain peace and harmony within our various communities of residence.
“We also want everybody to recall how such protest led to the break of the prison which endangered the lives of everybody in Edo even long after such protest had been founded. We slept with one eye open for several months after then”, .
Omojola however called on Nigerians to embrace dialogue to address any issues confronting the country.
“We believe that dialogue and peaceful means are the most effective ways to address the economic challenges currently facing our nation.
“We are all Nigerians and we all face the current hardship but it is also good we don’t make ourselves victims of protest casualties
“We as Nigerians must be seen and committed to working with relevant stakeholders, including the government, to advocate for positive change and sustainable solutions.
“Concerned Non-Indigenes in Edo State would like to remind everyone of the importance of maintaining peace and unity in our communities.
“We must all play our part in fostering an environment that supports progress and development, while respecting law and order.
“Finally, we want to once again charge the governments at all levels to redouble their efforts at ensuring that this rising hunger is tamed immediately as no further excuse is tenable”, Omojola said.