Jos protest organisers suspend street demonstrations for 2 days to dialogue

The Jos End Bad Governance Protest 2024 Coalition says it has suspended its street protests for two days to give room for dialogue with relevant stakeholders.

The coalition spokesperson, Mr Enoch Vilret, who announced the suspension while briefing newsmen on Sunday in Jos, said that the suspension took effect from Sunday, August 4, to Tuesday, August 6.

Vilret stated that the decision was to allow for dialogue with relevant authorities, as stated by President Bola Tinubu in his broadcast to the nation on Sunday.

He further said that the coalition remained committed to its cause and was hopeful that this period would facilitate constructive discussions.

According to him, should the dialogue not occur within the stipulated time, they will resume their peaceful protests.

“However, we would like to clarify that we are not the organizers of this protest. Instead, we are leaders in our own right on the Plateau, who have stepped in to coordinate and ensure that the protests remain peaceful and orderly.

“Our primary aim is to guide and support the voices of our fellow citizens in a responsible and constructive manner.

“We wish to categorically disassociate ourselves from any group of protesters carrying the Russian flag or any other flag that is not the Nigerian flag.

“Such actions are not representative of our movement, and we urge security forces to arrest any individuals seen engaging in this behaviour, as it undermines the integrity of our cause.

“It has also come to our attention that certain elements, opposed to the peaceful manner in which we have conducted our protests over the past four days, are planning to incite looting and vandalism,” he stated.

The spokesperson pointed out that the coalition strongly condemned such actions and called on security forces to arrest anyone found engaging in such activities.

He added that the movement was dedicated to peaceful advocacy, and we would not tolerate any form of violence or destruction.

Vilret called on Nigerians to continue to be law-abiding and to hold onto the hope that Nigeria would be great again.

He emphasised that the coalition’s commitment to positive change remained steadfast, and they believe that through collective effort and peaceful advocacy, they could achieve a better future for the nation.