Catholic Leaders Advise Peaceful, Orderly Protests

Catholic leaders advise protesters to remain peaceful and orderly. Read about their appeal for calm and structured demonstrations.

The Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have called on Nigerians scheduled to participate in the nationwide protest slated for August 1, to maintain orderliness.

The bishops, who issued the warning after a conference at the Domus Pacis Pastoral Institute in Akure’s Igoba district, emphasized that security forces are responsible for safeguarding protesters from any violent incidents.

In a statement released after their meeting, the bishops – including Archbishop Gabriel Abegunrin of Ibadan Catholic Archdiocese and Bishop John Oyejola – highlighted that peaceful protests are an expected aspect of any functioning democracy. They emphasized that such demonstrations should not be cause for concern.

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Although they emphasized that the right to protest is upheld in democratic societies worldwide, they also argued that demonstrators must observe decorum when exercising their constitutional rights.

According to the communique, the protests in Nigeria ought to be utilized solely for that intention and no other. People who belong to this category should not endure any obstruction while performing their lawful activities.

It is the duty of the protest organizers to either guarantee all these aspects or cancel their demonstration. Demonstrators must demonstrate self-control and avoid disrupting or intimidating those who opt out since it’s within their rights not to participate in such events.

The religious leaders who urged all levels of government to take initiative and be attentive towards the plight of Nigerians assert that “we are confident that if Nigerian governments at every level were more prompt and efficient in addressing the grievances and appeals for help from its citizens, then this ongoing demonstration would not have escalated.”