from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – YOUTH-led anti-government protests have turned into clashes that have left at least 19 people dead during a showdown between demonstrators and law enforcers.
The protests have also degenerated into looting sprees and damage to infrastructure.
This has meanwhile coincided with a major terror attack northeast of the country while authorities’ focus was on the demonstrations in the major cities.
Police report some of their stations have been destroyed and there have been attempts to take over government houses and government infrastructure has been looted.
Demonstrators are against the rising cost of living and corruption in the West African country.
They have been rallying under the hashtags such as “End Bad Governance” and “Tinubu Must Go”, under which the activists want the demonstrations to run until August 10.
Events turned deadly on Thursday in demonstrations that also demanded electoral and anti-corruption reforms and reduced electricity and fuel tariffs.
The capital Abuja, as well as other major cities of Benin City, Edo, Gombe, Gusau, Ibadan, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt and Yenagoa were a hive of demonstrators who are aggrieved by the state of economic affairs under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, who has been in power since 2023.
Traffic was a nightmare. Properties were looted and vandalized as tensions flared between protesters and police resorted to tear gas in order to disperse multiple crowds.
“Protests in a country like Nigeria are often an economic opportunity for looters and others who want to cash out from a state of tension,” stated Reno Omokri, an ex-aide of former president, Goodluck Jonathan.
Police are accused of using live ammunition in some incidents, resulting in casualties.
Among the deaths, six protesters were killed at a blockaded highway linking Abuja and Kaduna while four people were killed in Maiduguri and two others lost their lives in Kano due to alleged ‘live’ ammunition shooting.
A police vehicle reportedly hit and killed three people in Kaduna.
In Borno state, terrorists appeared to have taken advantage of a large gathering to plant an explosive, which left four people dead and 34 severely injured, police reported.
Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, said: “Regrettably, events in some major cities today showed that what was being instigated was mass uprising and looting, not protest.”
“Hoodlums have been let loose on innocent Nigerians and their hard-earned businesses and property looted and destroyed. The motive of the rioters was basically two; loot and destroy both private and government property,” Egbetokun said.
The police chief said thus, the force had placed all units on red alert.
“Our officers are fully mobilized and prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to any further threats to public safety and order,” Egbetokun said.
Some state governments have imposed 24-hour curfews.
These include Borno, Kano and Yobe.
Borno, the epicentre of the Islamist insurgency by the Boko Haram and Islamic State-West Africa Province (ISWAP), on July 31 suffered a major terrorist attack that left at least 16 people dead on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at a popular market in the village of Kawuri.
In the Owerri town of Imo State, state security thwarted an attack on the main prison. Gunfire was exchanged with unknown assailants engaged in what is thought to be an attempt to release some prisoners.
The Chinese embassy summed up the upheaval in Nigeria.
“The security situation in Nigeria remains complex and severe, with rampant activities of terrorist organizations and armed forces, increasing security chaos such as kidnapping, conflicts between farmers and herders, and protest marches, and violent crimes…”
NetBlocks, which tracks cybersecurity and digital governance, said it confirmed a disruption to a leading internet provider, MTN, in Nigeria.
“The incident may limit the visibility of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests.”
The operator was quoted as stating it is working to resolve the issue.
Reno Omokri called for dialogue amid the fatal protests.
“Politics is a contact sport. Right now, there needs to be contact between the leadership of Nigeria and the Nigerian people to calm things down,” Omokri said.
Africa’s biggest nation by population (estimated at 229 million) is experiencing its worst economic crisis in years.
Nigeria, which was Africa’s largest economy has since been overtaken by South Africa, Egypt and Algeria.
– CAJ News