THE wave of protests that swept across Nigeria in recent days has significantly diminished, with only small gatherings reported in major cities. This decline follows a week of demonstrations that were met with a forceful and deadly response from security forces.
According to Reuters, the protests, which began last Thursday and were scheduled to continue until August 10, saw hundreds of thousands of Nigerians take to the streets in Abuja, Lagos, and other major urban centres. Demonstrators voiced their frustrations over the rising cost of living and increasing crime rates in a movement dubbed “#10DaysOfRage”.
The human toll of the protests has been significant. Amnesty International reports that at least 13 people have lost their lives in clashes with police since the demonstrations began. However, official police figures put the death toll at seven, attributing some fatalities to accidents and an explosive device.
According to Reuters, the reduced turnout on Monday appears to be the result of two key factors: a harsh police crackdown and a call for calm from President Bola Tinubu. These developments have seemingly dampened the momentum of the protests, which emerged in the wake of recent economic data showing annual inflation had reached a 28-year high of 34.19% in June.
Reuters reports that in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, only about 100 people gathered at the main protest site, singing and chanting “we are hungry”. The capital city of Abuja saw even less activity, with no signs of protests at the main stadium where demonstrators had been congregating since last week.
In the northern regions of the country, which have experienced some of the largest and most intense protests, about 200 demonstrators in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, were dispersed by armed security forces. In Katsina, security personnel used tear gas to break up protests where participants were chanting “hunger and insecurity are killing us”.
The unrest has led authorities to impose curfews in parts of northern Nigeria and in the central state of Plateau.
President Tinubu, who took office in May 2023, addressed the nation on Sunday, calling for an end to the violence and expressing his openness to dialogue. He defended his economic reforms, which include partially ending subsidies on petrol and electricity and devaluing the naira, as necessary measures to address years of economic mismanagement.
As the situation continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether the protests will regain momentum or if the government’s response will lead to meaningful changes in policy or economic conditions for Nigerian citizens.
