By Abubakar Yunusa
The Federal Youth Movement, in collaboration with civil society organizations in Abuja, has pulled out of the planned national protest scheduled for August 1.
The group’s decision follows reports of a youth-led nationwide protest planned to address the country’s economic hardship.
However, federal and state governments, including President Tinubu, have appealed to the youths to postpone the planned protest. Religious and traditional institutions have also called for its cancellation.
The group’s Coordinator, Sa’ad Mohammed, while addressing journalists in Abuja, said, “This planned nationwide protest has a violent undertone, hence we are calling on Nigerians in the FCT to withdraw from participating in the scheduled protest.”
Sa’ad noted that the increase in fuel price, the floating of the Naira, and other policies implemented by the Tinubu administration have plunged the nation into an unprecedented economic crisis with skyrocketing inflation rates.
“After several meetings and engagements between our group and all the Security Agencies in the FCT, we have privileged information that there are foreign sponsors determined to destabilize the country.
” We have also observed some political undertones behind this call for mass action.
“While the hike in electricity tariffs and other issues are affecting the general populace, we believe there are alternative means to address our grievances instead of physical street protests.”
Meanwhile, the group called on President Tinubu to completely eradicate insecurity in Northern Nigeria and other affected parts of the country, tackle the rising inflation rate (currently at 34.2 percent),.
“Reverse the hiked electricity tariff, reinstate the fuel subsidy while accelerating efforts to revive our refineries, ensure food security by protecting farmlands, and reduce the cost of governance by cutting allowances for public office holders, starting with himself.”
