Written By Lisa Murimi
Abuja, Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigeria’s youth to refrain from joining nationwide cost-of-living protests planned for next week, claiming they are orchestrated by “sinister” elements exploiting the country’s economic challenges.
The planned demonstrations, set for August 1, have been inspired by recent events in Kenya, where protesters have demanded President William Ruto’s resignation after achieving significant concessions, including halting proposed tax hikes and dismissing almost the entire cabinet.
Nigeria’s last major protest, the #EndSARS movement three years ago, successfully led to the disbandment of a notorious police unit accused of extrajudicial killings but was met with a violent crackdown that resulted in the deaths of numerous demonstrators.
President Tinubu, in a speech delivered by government secretary George Akume to traditional leaders, warned against such protests. “Some men and women with sinister motives have been mobilizing citizens, particularly youths, to stage a protest,” he said. He urged the nation to avoid the turmoil experienced in countries like India and Sudan, stressing Nigeria’s vast population of over 200 million people could not afford such instability.
Trade unions, however, are urging dialogue. The Nigeria Labour Congress stated, “A situation where most Nigerian families are forced to eat one miserable meal a day beckons for serious intervention by the government.”
Tinubu’s administration has accused supporters of Peter Obi, a defeated presidential candidate, of organizing the protests, a claim Obi’s Labour Party denies. The party emphasized that while they are not planning protests, citizens have the constitutional right to do so.
Concerns about potential unrest are shared by the Self Reliance for Physically Challenged Traders of Nigeria, who oppose the protests to avoid the violence seen during the #EndSARS movement.
Similar fears are echoed across Africa, with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Kenyan authorities responding strongly to recent protests in their respective countries.
