Adams Oshiomhole, former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and current Edo North Senator, has shared insights into his experience leading protests and handling police resistance.
Speaking on Channels Television’s “The August Protests” show on Saturday, Oshiomhole revealed that during his tenure, protesters often had antidotes to tear gas and would throw them back at the police.
“Protesting is never a tea party,” Oshiomhole said.
“Sometimes, the police have to make uncomfortable decisions in the discharge of their responsibilities. Is there anywhere in the world where you haven’t seen protests being resisted by the police? It is an uncomfortable responsibility they have to take.”
He recounted that during his leadership of workers, the police’s use of tear gas was a common occurrence, and protesters were prepared to counteract it. “When I was leading workers and they tear-gassed us, we sometimes had the antidote; we threw the tear gas back.”
Oshiomhole acknowledged that police might not always intend to harm protesters but may resort to different methods to manage demonstrations. “If the police believe that you might destroy or kill someone, they might have to use those methods. Any protest is a struggle; it is not a tea party.”
Despite these challenges, Oshiomhole commended the current civil conduct of the police during the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests, which have entered their third day. He noted that police in some states, including Lagos, have been providing sachet water to peaceful protesters. “It is not about how the police respond now but in totality, the police under this IG have been quite civil,” he said.
Addressing the calls from some protesters for a ‘take back’ of Nigeria following the 2023 election, Oshiomhole emphasized that elections are the only constitutionally allowed method for changing the government. He asserted that Nigeria is not under foreign occupation, and thus, the notion of reclaiming the country through protests is not legitimate.
“Some people want regime change. You cannot peacefully demand that because the Constitution forbids you to make demands that are unlawful within the position of the Constitution,” Oshiomhole stated.
“The only legitimate option for those who lost the election is to wait for the next round of elections. Till then, there is nothing they can do. If they seek to short-circuit the system, there will be a problem.”
