DW
Police fired tear gas at demonstrators in the capital Abuja and the northern city of Kano on Thursday as Nigeria saw a The protests come amidst widespread public anger over economic hardship that has persisted for years.
Africa’s most populous country, with a population of more than 210 million, is grappling with the country’s in a generation.
The hardship is blamed on , and the government’s economic policies that have pushed the local currency to record low against the dollar.
The price of petrol and the price of staple foods, such as rice, have shot up, while wages and salaries have remained stagnant.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubi promised “renewed hope” when he was , but his government has struggled to create jobs.
Now, protest organizers say they are determined to take matters into their own hands.
Police block major roads in cities, organizers vow to press ahead with protests
Local media reported that organizers rejected a proposal by Nigerian police to hold rallies in confined places — easily controlled by security forces.
The government has, over the course of the year, offered to , including raising minimum salary levels and delivering grains to states across the country. But of what is required to live a decent life.
“We believe that this protest must go on regardless of the threat and intimidation,” protest organizers said earlier this week.
Authorities fear a replay of violence of 2020
Authorities fear a replay of the violence that was seen on the streets of Nigeria in October 2020, when who had come together to form one of the country’s biggest youth movements in Nigeria’s history.
They also fear a wave of violence similar to last in Kenya.
“The government of President Tinubu recognizes the right to peaceful protest, but circumspection and vigilance should be our watchwords,” George Akume, the secretary to the federation of government, told reporters Wednesday.
“Our appeal is that Nigerians should please pursue the path of peace, dialogue and collaboration,” he added.
rm/ab (AFP, AP)
