Hunger protest: Matters arising

FROM the 1st to the 10th of August, a group of Nigerians, after informing the government of their intentions, initiated a nationwide protest against hunger and poor governance. The demonstration aimed to address the escalating cost of living exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies, a significant surge in inflation reaching a 28-year peak, and the government’s economic strategies that have significantly devalued the naira against the dollar. Dubbed #EndBadGovernance, the protests were met with police violence in locations such as Abuja, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Yobe, and various other cities where teargas was used on the demonstrators. While the protests remained relatively peaceful in the southern regions, they escalated into violence in the northern areas, resulting in loss of lives and the destruction of property worth billions of naira. This escalation prompted the imposition of curfews in five states. Tragically, lives were lost in some northern states.

In numerous cities, a considerable number of protesters and protest organisers, including individuals like Babatunde Oluajo and Michael Lenin, were detained. Media sources stated that at least 1,135 individuals were arrested throughout the protest. Some individuals faced prosecution for charges such as unlawful assembly and other offenses, while others were released due to health concerns or being underage. However, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, denied claims that security personnel fired live ammunition at protesters during the #EndBadGovernance demonstration. In a press briefing held in Abuja, Egbetokun stated that security forces did not employ “excessive force” while handling the protest. The IGP mentioned that some security personnel were assaulted during the demonstration, highlighting the fact that the injured police officers were currently in critical conditions at a hospital. Egbetokun dismissed allegations of law enforcement shooting unarmed protesters as “fake news,” emphasising that the police, military and other security agencies involved in managing the protest did not resort to excessive force against the protesters. Instead, he stated, security agents faced attacks during the protest.

The assertion made by Egbetokun regarding security operatives not shooting at protesters contrasts starkly with the live coverage broadcast by television stations nationwide. Journalists on the ground recounted instances of police officers firing live ammunition at demonstrators at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja. According to reports from Amnesty International, Nigeria, over 10 protesters lost their lives due to police gunfire in Kano during the protest. What commenced as a peaceful rally spiraled into chaos in various cities, culminating in violent clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators. Fearing a potential escalation into a crisis, businesses, banks, shopping centres and markets remained shuttered.

Tragically, amidst the demonstrations in Abuja, an individual was fatally shot along the Kubwa expressway. Amnesty International strongly condemned the use of lethal force against protesters, levying accusations against security personnel for the reported deaths of at least 21 individuals during the unrest. We strongly contend that the response from the security agencies was unduly severe and unjustifiable. Evident displays of excessive force were observed in multiple locations, with the alarming occurrence of protesters being fatally shot. The #EndBadGovernance demonstration served as a legitimate reaction to the prevailing discontentment with the government’s performance. The protest shows the populace’s heightened awareness of issues such as corruption, ineptitude and ongoing human rights abuses that have come to characterise governance. Advocating accountability, transparency and transformative shifts within the Nigerian political system, the demonstrators aimed to instigate positive reforms.

Through social media campaigns, peaceful rallies and advocacy initiatives, protesters have vociferously called for reforms and a revision of economic policies that have exacerbated unprecedented hardships. The discontinuation of subsidies and the currency devaluation have catalyzed hyperinflation, causing a substantial decline in the purchasing power of Nigerian citizens. The imperative for the government to attentively address these grievances and foster a fairer and more inclusive societal structure has been emphatically underscored by the demonstrators. Again, the presidential address during the peak of the protests failed to sway the demonstrators, who persisted in their rallies across key urban centres, including Lagos, Abuja, and Kaduna. President Bola Tinubu appealed for a pause in the protests, but he failed to acknowledge the heavy-handed tactics employed by the police in handling the demonstrators. Furthermore, he offered no concrete measures to address the significant surge in the prices of essential food items like rice, bread, beans, and yam, which have skyrocketed by over 100 percent within a year. It is imperative for the government to urgently address the prevalent issues of hunger, malnutrition and starvation which have emerged as primary drivers of poverty nationwide, particularly in northern Nigeria.

He should also acknowledge the severe reaction of the police to the #EndBadGovernance protest. Safeguarding citizens’ rights and the freedom of expression falls under the remit of the police. We denounce the excessive force and intimidation strategies utilised by the police. The forceful suppression of nonviolent demonstrators has highlighted the urgent need for police reform, adherence to human rights, and the initiation of dialogue to address concerns in a peaceful and constructive manner. We demand the prompt release of the arrested protest leaders and other peaceful protesters who were merely exercising their democratic rights.

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