Omoyele Sowore Vows to Proceed with October 1 Hunger Protest Despite Government Opposition

Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate and journalist, has provided an update regarding the planned Hunger Protest set to take place on October 1.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, September 30, Sowore reiterated the determination to proceed with the protest, despite opposition from the Federal Government and warnings from the Nigerian Police Force.

Sowore, undeterred by the pushback, made his stance clear by stating, “NO GOING BACK! #FearlessInOctober.” According to him, the nationwide protest will be held in multiple locations, with the main gathering point at Eagles Square, Abuja. He emphasized that the dire state of the nation, marked by widespread hunger, insecurity, and hardship, has necessitated the protest, saying that the devastation unleashed by the government is a national issue that affects every part of the country.

In his statement, Sowore stressed the peaceful nature of the protests, despite the government’s harsh response to previous demonstrations. "The protests will hold across all parts of Nigeria because the scale of the devastation, hunger, insecurity, and hardship that this government has unleashed on Nigerians is national. I will emphasise again that these will be peaceful protests, as they’ve always been," he said. He pointed out that during past protests, despite their peaceful nature, the government responded with violence, stating, "The last protests were peaceful, yet the government met the protesters with batons and bullets."

Refusing to be discouraged by past experiences, Sowore maintained that the protestors’ only weapon is the truth, and no amount of force could silence their message. “We will not be deterred, though. Our only weapon is truth, and no amount of force or violence will prevent us from speaking truth to power,” Sowore boldly declared.

Highlighting the worsening economic conditions since the last protest, he remarked, “Between the last protest just two months ago and now, petrol prices have risen by almost N300 per litre. The naira has further devalued, and prices have increased in the market. Bandits have taken over and killed off entire communities. Floods are devastating our cities.” Sowore emphasized that under these dire conditions, it is no surprise that Nigerians feel compelled to express their frustrations and dissatisfaction with the government’s inability to address the issues impacting their daily lives.

Sowore reaffirmed his commitment to peaceful demonstrations, stating, “We are prepared to come out to protest. We are determined to do so peacefully. I can assure you that thousands of voices will be raised in protest on October 1.” He concluded by underlining the urgency of the protest, noting that the cries of the Nigerian people cannot be ignored any longer. “The pangs of hunger and groans of pain of the Nigerian people will not be drowned out by the government,” Sowore remarked during an interview shared on his X handle.

In Lagos, the protest organizers have revealed that their march will begin at the Ikeja Under Bridge, with participants expected to gather at 7:30 am to join in the nationwide movement.