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A coalition of twelve civil society and labour groups in Osun State on Friday staged a peaceful protest in Osogbo to mark Democracy Day, calling for urgent action to address rising insecurity across Nigeria, including the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
The demonstrators, operating under the Coalition of Civil Society Groups, Activists, and Trade Unionists, said government at all levels had failed to effectively respond to increasing cases of abductions, banditry and other violent crimes.
The groups, including the Centre for Sustained Dialogue, Osun Coalition of Civil Societies, Democratic Socialist Movement, Take It Back Movement and the Federation of Informal Workers Organisations of Nigeria, marched through major parts of Osogbo before converging at Olaiya Junction, where they addressed journalists.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Government must end kidnapping in Nigeria,” the demonstrators specifically called for the urgent rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
Speaking during the protest, Osun coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Victor Lijofi, said Nigeria’s democratic system was deteriorating and urged authorities to respond more decisively to the security crisis.
He said the abducted pupils in Oyo State must be rescued immediately, warning that the country was sliding into deeper instability if urgent steps were not taken.
“We demand immediate rescue of the school pupils abducted in Oyo State. Nigeria’s democracy is derailing, and we warn the Federal Government to act fast. Nigeria is drifting dangerously. Tinubu can’t watch as if nothing is happening,” Lijofi said.
Other speakers, including Wole Oladapo of Nigerians for Good Governance and Saka Waheed of Dialogue 365, also called for stronger government action to tackle insecurity and protect citizens.
Reading the coalition’s demands, Comrade Waheed Lawal said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to both insecurity and the growing economic hardship facing Nigerians.
He called for the unconditional release of all abducted Nigerians, particularly the schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped in Oyo State, and urged authorities to intensify efforts against banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, herder-farmer conflicts and police misconduct.
The coalition also demanded greater accountability in the management of security and defence spending, arguing that Nigerians deserve transparency on how funds allocated to security over recent years have been utilised.
“Government must take decisive action to end banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, abduction, herder-farmer conflicts, and police brutality.
“Accountability from the Federal and State Governments regarding the trillions of naira allocated to security and defence over the past three years. Nigerians deserve to know how these resources have been utilised,” he said.
He further called for a review of economic policies they said had worsened living conditions and made it more difficult for millions of Nigerians to access basic necessities.
