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Protests have erupted across at least 15 Nigerian states against poor governance and economic difficulties attributed to President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.
Demonstrators, primarily young people, took to the streets carrying placards with hashtags such as #RevolutionNow, #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, #TakeItBack, #DaysofRage, and #TinubuMustGo. The young populace contended that they were deprived of food, job opportunities, and educational opportunities amidst the worsening state of affairs in the country.
In response to alleged unruly behaviour in Bauchi, Borno, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), police used tear gas to disperse the crowds, as ICIR reported. In Gombe State, protesters climbed billboards to chant solidarity songs and attempted to access government buildings, causing significant traffic disruptions.
A Federal High Court in the FCT ordered that the #EndBadGovernance protests be confined to the stadium until the conclusion of the demonstrations.
On Thursday morning, August 1, protesters gathered at the stadium in compliance with the court order. However, tensions rose when pro-government supporters arrived at the same location in 12 coastal buses, leading to heated arguments between the two groups.
Footage shared online showed several youths holding empty cooking pots to symbolise the severe economic conditions they face.
Ahead of the protests, President Bola Tinubu called for calm, urging citizens not to take to the streets as he feared that it “could degenerate into violence and set the country backwards.”
The government also announced last-minute measures to halt the demonstrations but they proved unsuccessful.
On Monday, Tinubu signed into law a bill that doubled the national minimum wage from N30,000 ($18.06) a month to N70,000 ($42.14). He also approved the removal of taxes on food imports, which his office said would address food inflation.
Protesters are also calling for the government to address the country’s worsening security problems, amid challenges including kidnappings for ransom.
Lewis Musonye
