Despite the threats and court orders restricting protesters to few locations, Nigerians have taken to the streets to protest the harsh economic condition and hunger ravaging the nation.
Nigerians were seen in their numbers protesting in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port-Harcourt, Gombe, among others.
In Enugu, a Pacesetter correspondent who monitored the streets reports that major parts of the city are deserted, with little activities in very few places.
Nigerian policemen take position near protestors gathering during the End Bad Governance protest in Abuja on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP)
However, in Abuja, the Police have fired tear gas to prevent #endbadgovernance protesters in the nation’s capital from gaining entry into the Eagles Square.
Protesters in their numbers on Thursday shunned an order by the Federal Capital Territory which restricted the protest to the MKO Stadium in the city.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji gave the order on Wednesday while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application brought before him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
The protesters, however, marched to the Eagles Square which they initially planned to use to make their voices heard.
As they approached the venue, the police fired tear gas at them, creating a wall of tear gas smoke, which prevented the crowd from moving forward.
It remains unclear at this time what the protesters will do next.
Some of them who spoke to Channels TV insisted on exercising their rights and condemned the actions of the police.
They also called on the government to meet their demands.
Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesters In Bauchi
In Bauchi, the #endbadgovernance protest was also disrupted as police fired tear gas at protesters.
The protesters, who had assembled in front of the Emir of Bauchi’s palace, demanded a meeting with the Emir but were stopped by a police barricade.
As the protesters insisted on meeting with the Emir, the police used tear gas to disperse them.
The youths, however, insist that they be allowed to continue their protest.
Economic activities are on standby as the long-awaited #EndBadGovernance protest started in several cities across the nation.
From Abuja to Abeokuta, Port Harcourt to Lagos State, banks, and businesses have been shut. The roads are unusually deserted as protesters defy last-minute push by authorities to stop the demonstrations.
The usually bustling roads in Kaduna are empty and deserted as protesters take to the streets to express their grievances over poor living conditions.
Africa’s most populous country is struggling with soaring inflation and a sharply devalued naira currency after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu introduced reforms a year ago that aimed to revive the economy.
Tagged #EndbadGovernanceinNigeria, the protest movement has won support with an online campaign among Nigerians who are battling with food inflation at 40 percent and fuel prices that tripled since Tinubu introduced his urgent reforms.
Early turnout in the capital and in Lagos was slim, with only a few dozen protesters outside the national stadium in Abuja and police outnumbering the dozens more demonstrators in the Ikeja area of Lagos.
“Hunger has brought me out to protest,” said 24-year-old demonstrator Asamau Peace Adams outside the National Stadium in Abuja. “It’s all down to bad governance.”
A handful of protesters also gathered in the northern city of Kano, an AFP correspondent said.
On the eve of the protests, government officials had urged young activists to reject rallies and allow time for Tinubu’s reforms to take hold.
Many Nigerians are struggling with the high costs of food and transport and many people were also worried about insecurity around protests.
Pacesetter/Channels TV