The placards-wielding protesters in defiance went ahead as they slammed and accused the President Bola Tinubu-led government of implementing anti-people policies.
Nigerians including several activists on Wednesday in Abuja defied heavy security operatives stationed at the popular Julius Berger roundabout and staged a protest tagged #WeAreHungryProtest against the hardship and worsening economic situation in the country.
The activists led by Deji Adeyanju arrived at the venue amidst the presence of armed operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) and policemen from the Utako Police Division who came with the aim of disrupting the peaceful protest.
The placards-wielding protesters in defiance went ahead as they slammed and accused the President Bola Tinubu-led government of implementing anti-people policies.
The activists described the economic reforms by the Nigerian government as a scam aimed at impoverishing Nigerians and subjecting them to untold hardship.
Adeyanju while addressing journalists said “We have gathered here because we believe that the DSS should not intimidate Nigerians. The DSS should not be the ones telling Nigerians when to protest and when not to protest. That is why in defiance to the threat issued by the DSS yesterday warning all Nigerians to stay off the protest, we have decided that no matter how few we are, we will come and make our grievances known that the country is not working, Nigerians are hungry, economy is bad, the Naira has depreciated.
"The 25 years of democracy, there is nothing to show for it except poverty, hunger and corruption."
He insisted that security operatives should go after the bandits and criminals instead of dissipating their energy on harmless protesters.
He maintained that protest is an inalienable right as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended.
He therefore asked Nigerians to protest against bad governance, corruption and economic hardship wherever they were and not to be intimidated by the empty threat of DSS.
“We celebrate the memory of late Moshood Abiola for the sacrifice he made during the June 12 struggle. We will continue to enjoin the leaders who are now reaping from where they did not sow that they should be more democratic and stay away from from corruption."
Recall that a coalition of the civil society organisations including Take It Back Movement, Joint Action Front (JAF), Education Rights Campaign, African Action Congress (AAC) and the Socialist Workers League had in a statement jointly signed by the leaders of the organisations vowed to go ahead with the protest irrespective of the threat by the DSS.
They had said any form of arrest or violation of the rights of protesters would be resisted just as they demanded for end to the current economic crisis and gruesome killing of Nigerians by the bandits.