The organizers of the ongoing hunger protests across major Nigerian states have dismissed calls from solicitor Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa to suspend the demonstrations due to escalating violence.
Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, announced this stance during an interview on Channels Television on Friday. He emphasized that Adegboruwa does not represent their group, despite the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) previously seeking protection for the protesters from security agencies.
Adegboruwa had urged protesters to pause their actions on Friday, highlighting that the protests had been hijacked, resulting in loss of lives and damage to properties. However, Adenola remained steadfast in continuing the planned 10-day hunger protests, rejecting Adegboruwa’s intervention.
“Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa is not our lawyer and does not speak for us. He may present himself as our solicitor, but he does not share our hunger,” Adenola stated.
“He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who lives comfortably. He is not experiencing the hunger that drives people to the streets.”
Adenola insisted that the protests would persist until the government addresses their demands. “We are waiting for the government to respond to us and address our demands. Until then, the protests continue,” he asserted.
The protests, which entered their second day on Friday, have already resulted in at least 14 deaths and numerous injuries. In states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Borno, both private and public properties have been looted and destroyed amid the unrest.
In response to the violence, the Nigerian Military indicated on Friday that it might intervene to support the Nigeria Police if the situation continues to deteriorate.
