Category: News

Nigeria’s recent protests are owing to the high cost of living, worsened by the floating of the naira and the stoppage of fuel subsidy removal by the Tinubu administration.

Although there have been calls for Tinubu to address the nation after the demonstrations entered the third day – petering out though – the president is yet to do that.

However, Bagudu, said the Nigerian leader is well aware of the situation.

“Mr President has been monitoring the situation, as he ought to. Very responsibly, and alert,” the minister said on Saturday during Channels Television’s special programme The August Protest — #EndBadGovernance. 

“I am a minister. I also have responsibilities. I have also been monitoring this thing. I have been noting this thing so that I can make inputs.”

“We have been monitoring and listening carefully to hear what is being said and what noting them,” Bagudu said on the show.

Pushed by the inflation figures which have reached 34 per cent, millions of Nigerians who are struggling to afford basic items trooped to the streets across several cities to register their grievances over the reforms by the Tinubu government.

The protests went smoothly in many cities on the first day but events turned awry in other places. Hoodlums hijacked the demonstrations in places like Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and others, looting goods and destroying properties worth millions of naira.

To rein the chaos, some states imposed a curfew while police authorities arrested several suspects.

The minister who admitted the hardship facing Nigerians, said it was not peculiar to the country but the Federal Government is working to make life easier for the citizens.

“The cost of living crisis is a crisis affecting many countries as we speak,” he said, adding that, “we would listen and we also value the inputs of Nigerians”.

Channels TV

On Thursday, hoodlums attacked the facility and set it ablaze amidst a wave of nationwide protests against economic hardship.

A day after the incident, Sanusi decried the action of the youths, warning that such destruction of public assets should not repeat itself.

“Today is a sad day for the people of Kano due to what happened in the state. We sympathize with the entire indigenes of Kano,” he said while briefing journalists on Friday.

“What happened is unacceptable and the people of Kano should ensure that it does not happen again.

“The agents of destruction would hijack peaceful demonstrations and use that opportunity to cause mayhem, effect loss of lives and destruction of properties.”

The monarch expressed worry over how public and private properties were looted and vandalised owing to the protest that was billed to be peaceful demonstration against hunger and hardship in the country.

The Emir said what happened is a setback to the state, the northern region and the country at large.

He added, “The young people that died are our children. The properties that were burnt and stolen belong to the people of Kano.

“These are funds that are meant to be used for poverty alleviation, education and nutrition. The digital centre of excellence that was built by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) was build at educating our youths, giving them digital training, and preparing them for examination.

“The minister was due to come in next week to commission the centre. We have vandalised and destroyed the centre we have wasted millions of naira. I am calling on the people of Kano not to allow themselves to repeat what happened yesterday or to be deceived into continuing with this kind of mayhem.”

Channels TV

After staying indoors on the first day of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests, residents of Enugu metropolis have thronged out to resume economic activities.

It will be recalled that our correspondent reported that streets and markets of Enugu were largely deserted on August 1, the first day of the protest. Later in the day, a video showing about nine persons with placards surfaced online.

However, after the first day of the protest, streets and markets started bubbling on Friday morning.

A tour around the Enugu metropolis on Friday, revealed that economic activities returned to normal.

Mayor, Ogbete, Kenyatta, Gariki, New Market, and many others had activities, with commuters plying roads to eke out a living.

Also, banks, offices and street shops opened for businesses as more residents were seen on the streets. However, soldiers still occupied strategic places.

Ogwu Chijioke was among the hundreds of protesters who took to the streets in Lagos State on Thursday, joining the nationwide #EndBadGovernance demonstrations against the country’s harsh economic conditions.

In an interview with Channels Television at the Lekki Toll Gate area of Lagos, Chijioke shared his struggles in trying to support his son’s dreams of becoming a programmer.

“I’m riding from Mile 2, Festac. My son, at 13, is a programmer but I can’t even buy data for him to learn more. I can’t even pay for the tuition fees, millions of naira. At 13, he can programme games,” he told Channels Television, clutching his bicycle.

“My name is Ogwu Benjamin Chijioke. I would rather die on the streets than die at home. I can’t sit down and watch the future of my son go to waste. I know I may not have a future again in Nigeria, but my son’s future will not be wasted.”

Moments later, his video went viral.

“You can feel the passion in his soul,” social media influencer Morris Monye captioned the video shared on his X handle. “He’s lost hope that life will be good for him but has not lost hope for his son. This is why he is protesting.”

“Hello, guys. I’ve gotten his details,” Morris wrote hours later. “N1.8 million is needed to make his dreams come true.”

Barely 24 hours after the move, the money was successfully crowdfunded.

Tribune

In addition, the Force is also considering seeking assistance from the Nigerian military to halt the violence in some states.

Mr Egbetokun made the announcement at a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the events in some major cities in the country on Day-1 of the protest showed that the protest had turned to be mass uprising and looting.

According to him, those who were in the forefront of promoting the idea of the protest were not around to lead it.

He said hoodlums have been let loose on innocent Nigerians and their hard-earned businesses and property looted and destroyed.

The police boss said the motive of the rioters was basically two: to loot and destroy both private and government property.

Mr Egbetokun said the destruction so far had been mind-boggling, adding that there were destruction in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, FCT, Niger and Jigawa States.

He said police stations had been destroyed with attempts in some states to take over government houses and looting government infrastructures.

The I-G said several warehouses and shops had so far been looted and in several instances, completely destroyed.

“In the light of the current situation, the Nigeria Police Force has placed all units on red alert.

“Our officers are fully mobilised and prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to any further threats to public safety and order.

“We remain committed and resolute to protecting life and property and ensuring that law and order are maintained across the nation,” he said.

He called on groups, hiding under the guise of exercising a right provided in the constitution to destabilise the country, to remember that the same constitution imposed on them to obey the laws of the land.

According to him, the Police is equipped to respond appropriately to the unfolding situation and will get assistance from other security agencies, including the military if the need arises.

Mr Egbetokun appealed to law abiding citizens to remain calm and cooperate with the police and other security agencies.

”Your safety is our top priority and we will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure continued peace and stability in our country,” he said. (NAN)

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