June 12 Protest: Falana, Civil Society Groups Mobilise Nigerians Against Insecurity, Hunger
By: Mandy Park
Prominent human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), popular musician and activist Falz, alongside several civil society organisations, labour groups, youth movements and community-based organisations, have declared June 12, 2026, as a day of nationwide protest against worsening insecurity, economic hardship and deteriorating living conditions across Nigeria.
The coalition, in a statement issued on Wednesday and jointly signed by more than 16 activists and organisations, said the protest is aimed at drawing attention to what it described as the Federal Government’s failure to effectively address growing insecurity and the economic challenges confronting millions of Nigerians.
The organisers said it was regrettable that while Nigeria would be marking Democracy Day on June 12, many citizens have little cause for celebration due to widespread poverty, insecurity and declining standards of living.
According to the coalition, communities across the country continue to suffer attacks from terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal groups, leading to deaths, abductions, displacement and psychological trauma for thousands of families.
The group expressed solidarity with victims of insecurity and their families, while demanding immediate action from the government to secure the release of citizens currently held captive by criminal elements in Oyo, Borno, Katsina, Kwara, Ekiti, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and other states affected by kidnapping and banditry.
“The Nigerian people deserve a government that prioritises the protection of lives and property and places the welfare of citizens at the centre of governance,” the statement said.
The coalition argued that despite repeated assurances from government officials that insecurity is being tackled, attacks on communities have persisted, leaving farmers unable to access their farmlands, schools under threat and highways increasingly unsafe.
Beyond security concerns, the organisers also criticised the economic policies of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, claiming that the removal of fuel subsidy, repeated increases in petrol prices, currency devaluation and rising electricity tariffs have deepened poverty and hardship among ordinary Nigerians.
They noted that soaring food prices, high transportation costs and declining purchasing power have placed severe pressure on households, while many small and medium-scale enterprises are struggling to survive due to rising operating costs and unstable power supply.
The coalition further maintained that workers’ wages have failed to keep pace with inflation, resulting in a steady erosion of living standards.
According to the organisers, the June 12 demonstration is part of a broader campaign to compel authorities to adopt urgent measures aimed at tackling insecurity, reducing the cost of living and reversing policies perceived as unfavourable to the poor and working class.
They called on workers, students, traders, artisans, market women, professionals, unemployed youths, religious organisations and community groups nationwide to participate in the planned protest.
“This protest is about the lives of our children and teachers in captivity. It is about the collective survival of ordinary Nigerians,” the coalition stated.
The group urged progressive organisations and civil society actors to unite in demanding the release of abducted citizens and pressing for policies that would improve the welfare and economic conditions of Nigerians.
Among the signatories to the statement are Femi Falana (SAN), National Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB); musician and activist Falz (Folarin Falana); Yinka Folarin of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR); Hassan Taiwo Soweto of the #EndBadGovernance Movement; Adaramoye Michael of the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC); and several labour and civil society leaders including :
Yusha’u Sani Yankuzo, Esq – Organizing Secretary, Nigeria Patriotic Front Movement (NPFM), Ali Attahiru –Secretary, Initiative and Mediation, Zauren Tuntuba da Sasanci, Mike Igaga – Executive Director, Moses Oisakede Leadership Foundation, Rufus Olusesan – President, Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA), Segun Oladunni – Joint Action Front (JAF), Abiodun Olamosu – General Secretary, Socialist Labour, Jonathan Ugbal – Lead, Calabar Group of Socialists, Richard Inoyo – Country Director, Citizens Solution Network, Salako Kayode – Revolutionary Socialist Movement (RSM), Omole Ibukun – Centre for Creative Change (C4), Adewale Ojo – Chairman, Committee for the Defence of Human Right (CDHR) Lagos.
The planned demonstration comes amid increasing public concern over the rising cost of living, persistent inflation, insecurity in several parts of the country and growing calls for improved governance and economic reforms.
