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UPDATED: Protests Against Insecurity, Bad Governance Rock Oyo, Osun

The major streets of Osogbo, Osun State were occupied by civil society organisations protesting against insecurity and bad governance in Nigeria.

Some human rights activists and civil society organisations on Monday staged protests against insecurity, bad governance, unemployment and high rate of poverty in Ibadan and Osogbo, the capital cities of Oyo and Osun states respectively. 

The major streets of Osogbo, Osun State were occupied by civil society organisations protesting against insecurity and bad governance in Nigeria.

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The protest is aimed at sensitising residents of the state to always stand against injustice and maladministration rather than dying in silence, according to the convener, Comrade Waheed Lawal.

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Waheed noted that despite the human and natural resources the country is endowed with, poor leadership has put the country in the wrong direction leading to untold hardship for the masses.

SaharaReporters gathered that the protesters, who took off from the popular Freedom Park at Old Garage and marched through station road, urged shop owners around Fagbewesa junction to join the advocacy for better Nigeria.

Leading the protest in Ibadan, human rights activist, Comrade Femi Aborisade said the current occurrences in the country have shown that governance has totally collapsed in the country.

Aborisade addressed journalists during the peaceful protest during which the protesters marched to some major streets in Ibadan.

According to him, those who are in power have broken the social contract between the people and the political office holders.

Aborisade noted that a section of the constitution provided that the main duty of government is to provide security and welfare for the people.

The lawyer insisted that the citizens have the right to protest peacefully in a situation when those who are in power are not performing their duties.

Aborisade maintained that the present occurrences in the country necessitated the peaceful protest.

“Governance has totally collapsed in Nigeria. There is a social contract between those who were elected and the people. That contract is that the government has a duty to provide welfare and security for the people.

“The government has failed totally in providing welfare and security for the citizens. Only yesterday, in Niger State, not less than 200 students were kidnapped.

“This is apart from other students that have been kidnapped. The Chibok girl, Leah Sharibu, is still in captivity. On a regular basis, Nigerians are being slaughtered like animals.

“And the government is unable to do anything, Nigerian government appears helpless, so Nigerians are tired of this state of insecurity.

“The constitution provides that the security and welfare of the people shall be the main purpose of the government. Government has failed in observing section 14 (2) b of the constitution.

“Under the same constitution, we are given the right that once the government fails to provide security and welfare for the people, we have the right to gather peacefully as we are doing to protest against the collapse of the system in Nigeria," he said.