Kaduna CSOs suspend Independence Day protest over security fears

More than 20 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kaduna state have suspended their planned October 1, 2026 peaceful protest, citing concerns that criminal elements could hijack the demonstration and trigger confrontation between protesters and security agencies.

The groups, operating under the Coalition of CSOs, said the decision followed consultations with relevant stakeholders and an assessment of the security situation in the state.

The coalition had planned the protest to draw attention to what it described as Nigeria’s persistent development challenges since independence.

Addressing journalists in Kaduna on Thursday, the convener of the coalition, Aminu Haruna, said the suspension was not an abandonment of the groups’ responsibility to hold government accountable, but a measure aimed at preventing the demonstration from degenerating into violence.

Haruna said the coalition had considered the security measures being implemented by the Federal and Kaduna State governments, as well as security agencies, before opting for structured dialogue.

“We don’t want the protest to cause chaos,” he said.

According to him, consultations with stakeholders indicated that some individuals could exploit the protest for purposes unrelated to the demands of the organisers.

“We realise that people are ready to take advantage of today’s protest. And then, we don’t want this protest to cause chaos,” Haruna said.

He said the coalition weighed the advantages and disadvantages of proceeding with the demonstration and concluded that the potential consequences could outweigh its immediate objectives.

“Instead of having a peaceful demonstration to demand for what is right, at the end of the day it will end up with a conflict between citizens and the security personnel. And you know it will never go well,” he said.

The coalition stressed that the suspension did not mean it had abandoned peaceful protests as a legitimate means of expressing citizens’ grievances, saying its demands concerning the welfare of Nigerians, particularly Kaduna residents, had been documented and would be conveyed to the executive arm of government through the security agencies.

The groups commended the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Adeola Ajayi, for what they described as operational support and leadership to their respective commands.

They also praised the Kaduna state Police Command and the Kaduna State Command of the DSS for what they called proactive engagement, swift action and open dialogue during their engagements with the organisations.

The coalition further acknowledged the security initiatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and urged the Federal Government to sustain and increase its support for the nation’s security agencies.

It also commended the Kaduna state government under Governor Uba Sani for its efforts to strengthen security in the state.

On the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, particularly following a recent death sentence in Edo State, the coalition expressed support for the execution of prisoners whose death sentences had been lawfully handed down by competent courts.

Haruna called on state governors to exercise their constitutional responsibilities concerning inmates on death row, saying many condemned prisoners had remained in custody for years because governors were reluctant to approve their execution.

“Our executive governors who are saddled with the responsibility of signing this document for execution are not ready to,” he said.

The coalition appealed to governors across the country to act on death sentences where all legal processes had been exhausted.

“We wish to use today, first of October, to appeal to the entire governors in this country that anybody on death row in your state should be executed,” Haruna said.

The groups argued that prolonged detention of condemned prisoners placed an additional financial burden on taxpayers and urged political office holders to take responsibility for decisions within their constitutional powers.