Independence Day: Nigerians protest over bad governance
Thousands of Nigerians have begun protest over bad governance in Nigeria as the country marks its 64th independence anniversary.
The Syndicate reports that the ‘National Day of Survival’ protest was against “bad” policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu-led administration, which has pushed millions of Nigerians into unprecedented economic hardship.
In Abuja, protesters gathered at Utako Market, holding signs with messages such as, “Bad Governance has killed the dreams of Nigerian youth” and “Enough is Enough” among others.
“We are buying fuel at N1,000, and you expect us not to protest? We are hungry,” one protester said.
In Lagos, hundreds of protesters gathered at Ikeja Underbridge on Tuesday morning. By 7:35 AM, there was already a strong security presence.
The protesters, holding placards, expressed frustration over worsening living conditions.
One protester, Tunde Aderibigbe, said, “Nigerians are hungry, there are no jobs, people are homeless, and healthcare is poor. It’s so bad that basic things are now seen as luxury.”
Aderibigbe and others called for better living conditions and immediate reforms.
In Lagos, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, joined the protesters at the Ikeja under bridge.
The human rights activist was seen alongside a crowd of protesters wielding placards, demanding end to the nation’s economic crisis.
This is coming as President Tinubu in his nationwide Independence Day address, assured citizens of better days ahead and economic reforms to ease the hardships.
At least 10 organisations had in a statement called on Nigerians to troop out en masse and protest peacefully across the country.
The groups include, The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), Movement for Fundamental Change (MFC), Joint Action Front (JAF), Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), and Yoruba Revolutionary Movement (YOREM).
Others are Coalition for Concerned Nigerian Citizens (CCNC), Initiative for a Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), Movement for African Emancipation (MAE), Pan-African Consciousness Renaissance (PACOR-Nigeria), Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR).
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has also ordered a ‘water tight’ security across the nation.
The Defence Headquarters also said on Monday that troops had been placed on alert to support the police during today’s nationwide protest.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has cautioned security agencies against violating the rights of citizens to protest.
The NHRC Executive Secretary, Mr Tony Ojukwu, condemned the widespread arrests, harassment, and killing of protesters during the August #EndBadGovernance protest.
