Eagle Square public property, protest organisers dare Wike

The organisers of the planned hunger protest in Abuja have told the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that there is nothing that would stop them from using Eagle Square.

Recall that a group, Take It Back Movement, had written to the minister requesting the use of Eagle Square for its protest on August 1, as well as the provision of security and utilities for the duration of the protest.

In its letter signed by its Director of Mobilization, Damilare Adenola, on Friday, the group also stated that the minister must “ensure the provision of a 24-hour power supply, toilet facilities, water, and security for the convenience of Nigerian citizens who will be camped out at Eagle Square”.

However, the minister stated that protesters who wish to use Eagle Square must apply properly and pay security costs for their scheduled protest in the FCT.

During a Town Hall Meeting held in the Conference Room of the Federal Capital Development Authority in Abuja on Saturday, Wike said the group had only applied via social media and television appearances.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, Adenola said Wike has no choice but to allow “hungry Nigerian youths” to use the facility for the protest.

He blamed the delay in the delivery of the letter on bureaucracy in the government, saying that Wike would get the letter unfailingly on Monday ahead of the demonstration starting on Thursday.

Adenola asserted that Eagle Square is public property and the minister should not expect the protesters, who are youths, to pay the exorbitant fee he is asking.

He said, “It is possible that the receipt of the letter is being delayed by most likely bureaucracy in government or the minister is likely being insincere about receiving the letter.

“If he (Wike) insists that he hasn’t received it, the alternative is that he was served by publication because many Nigerian ministries streamline what to receive or not. If he says he didn’t get it physically, then we could as well say that he was served by publication.

“If he says he wants it by Monday, we will serve him. The truth is that Eagle Square is a public property. When I saw the video of the minister, I was amazed because I saw the minister asking us to pay rent, pay security fees and all that.

“My question to the minister is this: how does the minister expect a greater population of Nigerian youths who are impoverished, who have no jobs to afford to exorbitant he is expecting us to pay? We are going to be at the Eagle Square on August 1st.”

Speaking further, Adenola claimed that the bank account of his organisation was blocked on the orders of the Department of State Services.

He added that the bank was yet to respond to the group’s letters.

“The account of the TIB was arbitrarily blocked by UBA allegedly on the orders of the DSS,” he said.