As economic hardship worsens, Nigerian youths are planning nationwide protests from August 1-10, 2024, to draw attention to their grievances.
Reports indicate that the protests, gaining momentum across northern and other regions, aim to highlight the citizens’ struggles under current government policies.
The roots of the protests trace back to May 2023, when President Bola Tinubu abolished the fuel subsidy, resulting in significant economic challenges. Since then, there have been calls to reverse some government policies believed to have caused the widespread hardship.
Earlier protests set the stage for this upcoming action. On February 9, 2024, youths and women in Minna and Kano protested against the soaring prices of food and essential commodities.
Civil society groups also demonstrated on June 12, addressing the high cost of living, insecurity, and other national issues.
Protesters in Southwestern states carried placards with messages like: ‘President Tinubu, let the poor breathe’, and ‘End Insecurity’.
The planned August protests are set to occur in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. While some organizers remain anonymous, Omoyele Sowore, 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has been actively promoting the protests on social media.
Sowore, known for leading previous protests, declared, “Nothing Can Stop An Idea Whose Time Has Come” #RevolutionNOW.
A flyer circulating online, titled “End Bad Government in Nigeria 2024,” lists ten government policies blamed for the current hardships. The demands include ending the “subsidy scam,” reducing fuel prices, lowering education fees, and making electricity tariffs affordable.
In response, the Nigeria Police Force is reportedly planning to prevent the protests.
An internal memo dated July 8, directed police units to prepare for the protests by mobilizing personnel, collaborating with other security agencies, and preventing unlawful gatherings. The memo, leaked and posted online by journalist @PIDOMNIGERIA, has heightened public awareness and concern.
Government officials are increasingly anxious about potential attacks. The Nigerian Senate recently debated the issue, with lawmakers expressing fears of public backlash due to ongoing hardships.
Former Senate President Ahmed Lawan warned, “If we don’t take immediate action, we will lose the power… our citizens under the situation of increased fuel price, increased electricity price, increased everything.”
Additionally, former lawmaker Shehu Sani advised Senate President Godswill Akpabio to avoid certain areas due to potential protests, citing a recent encounter with demonstrators in Abuja.
While some, like Labour Party chieftain Kayode Oyeniran, urge alternative ways to express grievances, others, including Goodluck Ibem, President General of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, suggest redirecting protest energy into agriculture to combat hunger.
