Ebun Adegboruwa, a senior lawyer and member of the team engaging with the Nigerian Police Force to ensure that the nationwide protests scheduled for August 1 are conducted peacefully, claims that Nigerian authorities are desperate to abort the protests by sponsoring thugs to disrupt them.

The lawyer raised concerns about the Tinubu-led government’s desperation to disrupt the protests by deploying thugs, citing the police’s posture while he and others “dialogue with law enforcement and security agencies” over the protests.

“The insistence by the Inspector-General of Police on ‘credible intelligence’ about plans for violence confirms the government’s desperation to abort the protests by sponsoring hooligans and thugs to disrupt them,” Mr Adegboruwa said. “This is currently happening in many parts of Lagos State.”

Mr Adegboruwa raised this concern in a Facebook post on the eve of the protest, appealing to security agencies, protesters, and the government to remain within the bounds of the law during the protests.

Spokespersons for the Tinubu-led government, Ajuri Ngelale and Bayo Onanuga, could not be reached for a response to Mr Adegboruwa’s allegation. Mr Ngelale’s phone number was unreachable, while Mr Onanuga did not answer calls.

On Tuesday, Peoples Gazette reported that thugs were unleashed to threaten citizens against participating in the protest on August 1.

When contacted, Gboyega Akosile, spokesperson for the Lagos government, said, “I think you should have stopped the thugs and asked them. Is the van from Lagos State government?”

Mr Akosile asked Peoples Gazette to contact him via WhatsApp. A WhatsApp message sent to Mr Akosile, inquiring about the government’s failure to maintain order and allowing thugs to threaten potential protesters’ rights, was not answered.

Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the Nigerian police in Lagos, could not be reached for comments on why thugs are roaming the market, threatening citizens against protesting—a constitutional right. An automated response from Mr Hundeyin stated that he could not “take calls right now.”

The presence of thugs roaming Lagos markets and threatening citizens mirrors similar tactics used to disenfranchise Nigerians during the 2023 governorship election when All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Tinubu was defeated on his home turf by Peter Obi of the Labour Party, a former Anambra governor.

Additionally, Oro, a Yoruba cultural festival that requires females and non-natives to stay indoors while it is ongoing, has been declared to commence across communities in Lagos State on August 1, the same day as the nationwide protests.