The organizers of the August 1st hunger protest in Abuja have told FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike they will go ahead with their plan to use Eagle Square for the protest. This is even as there is a dispute over the application process and payment of security fees.
Take It Back Movement, the group leading the protest, had written to Minister Wike requesting the use of Eagle Square. In the letter signed by the Director of Mobilization, Damilare Adenola, the group also demanded for security, 24 hours power supply, toilet facilities and water for the protesters.
But Wike said the group must apply formally and pay for the security. He said this during a Town Hall Meeting in the Conference Room of the Federal Capital Development Authority in Abuja that the group only applied through social media and television appearances which he considered insufficient.
“You will write a letter to the Minister. I will see you, who are you, what do you want to do, how many days will you spend, how much will you pay? You must pay what we call Security Cost. So if there’s any damage to the facility, we will take that security cost and repair it,” Wike said.
On Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Adenola said the protest will go on regardless of the minister’s conditions. He said the delay in sending the formal letter is as a result of government bureaucracy and assured that Wike will receive the letter by Monday.
Adenola argued that Eagle Square is a public property and that the protesters, many of who are poor youths, should not be expected to pay the high fees Wike mentioned.
“It’s possible the letter is being delayed by bureaucracy in government or the minister is not serious about receiving the letter. If he says he hasn’t received it, the alternative is that he was served by publication,” Adenola said.
He asked, “My question to the minister is this: how does the minister expect a greater population of Nigerian youths who are poor, who have no jobs to pay the exorbitant fees he is asking us to pay? We will be at Eagle Square on August 1st.”
Adenola also said the bank account of Take It Back Movement has been blocked by DSS. He said the group has not received any response from the bank on their inquiry.
“UBA blocked the TIB account.
The impasse between the protest organizers and the FCT Minister is getting tighter. We will see what happens.”<
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