HomeInternational NewsNigerian Troops Tighten Security Amid National Protests Against Inflation

Nigerian Troops Tighten Security Amid National Protests Against Inflation

Nigerian troops and police have intensified security measures in Lagos and the capital city Abuja as nationwide protests regarding rising living costs have commenced and are expected to continue for 10 days. Africa’s most populous country is grappling with rapidly increasing inflation and a severely devalued naira following reforms aimed at reviving the economy introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last year.

The protest movement, tagged #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria, has gained traction through an online campaign among Nigerians who are struggling with a food inflation rate of 40 percent and fuel prices that have tripled since the reforms took effect. On Thursday, police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Abuja, according to Reuters. In the northern city of Kano, protesters attempted to set fires outside the governor’s office, prompting police to respond with tear gas, as reported by AFP.

Security forces have blocked roads leading to Abuja’s Eagle Square—one of the planned demonstration sites—while police and soldiers have been stationed at strategic points in Lagos, including the Lekki Toll Gate, where protests against police brutality in 2020 ended in violence. “The duty is very clear: to ensure that the protest is peaceful, free of violence, and free from the terrible things that happened during the unrest in 2020,” said Adegoke Fayoade, the Lagos police commissioner, to Al Jazeera.

To alleviate economic hardship, the government announced a series of measures on Wednesday, including the distribution of grain to states across the country and assistance for the most vulnerable populations. However, residents nationwide have been stocking up on food and essential goods due to concerns over potential escalating violence during the demonstrations. “The police are brutalizing the Nigerian people, and people want it to stop,” said activist Ismail Olushola Oladare, who participated in the protests of 2020. “Today, this specific protest is about the standard of living for the people,” he added.

The protest leaders, a loose coalition of civil society groups, have vowed to continue the rallies despite what they describe as legal challenges attempting to restrict their right to protest in public parks rather than allowing marches. Omolola Pedro, a protest organizer, told Al Jazeera that the purpose of the rallies is to let the government know that Nigerians have had enough of the administration’s “violations of human rights and the unstable economic situation resulting from policies they have implemented.” The organizers have presented a list of 19 demands, with the removal of a state subsidy on petroleum products at the forefront, as they claim this is a primary cause of the crisis.

The demonstrations follow weeks of unrest and anti-government protests that have turned violent in Kenya, where President William Ruto was forced to revoke planned tax increases. In Uganda, police detained dozens during banned anti-corruption protests organized online by young activists inspired by the protests in Kenya.

“Some groups of people, self-proclaimed advocates and influencers, have strategized and mobilized potential demonstrators to unleash terror in the country under the guise of replicating recent protests in Kenya,” said Kayode Egbetokun, Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police. “We will therefore not sit back and cross our arms to watch violent activities provoke violence in our peaceful communities or destroy any of our national critical infrastructure and assets again,” Egbetokun added following a meeting with senior officers in Abuja.

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