President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has called on the nation’s youth to refrain from participating in the upcoming nationwide cost-of-living protests scheduled for August 1.
According to Tinubu,some individuals with malicious intentions are mobilising citizens, especially the youth, to protest.The organisers he referred to as the sinisters reportedly drew inspiration from similar events in Kenya.
“In Kenya, protesters demand President William Ruto’s resignation after achieving key goals, such as cancelling proposed tax hikes and dismissing nearly the entire cabinet.”
Nigeria’s last major protest occurred three years ago against a notorious police unit accused of extrajudicial killings. The #EndSARS movement succeeded in disbanding the unit but faced a brutal crackdown, resulting in numerous deaths.
Furthermore, the government secretary, George Akume, delivered the president’s message at a meeting with traditional leaders. He urged Nigerians to learn from the situations in India and Sudan, noting that Nigeria, with over 200 million people, cannot afford similar unrest.
Trade union leaders have urged President Tinubu to engage with the protest organisers rather than dismissing their concerns as politically motivated dissent. The Nigeria Labour Congress highlighted the severe economic hardships faced by many Nigerians.
Tinubu’s camp has accused supporters of defeated presidential candidate Peter Obi of orchestrating the protests, using social media hashtags like #TinubuMUSTGo and #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria. Presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga blamed Obi for inciting disorder.
The Labour Party, led by Obi, denied these allegations, emphasising that while they are not planning any protests, citizens have a constitutional right to protest.
Local media reports indicate opposition to the protests from a group of small-scale retailers, the Self Reliance for Physically Challenged Traders of Nigeria, who fear the turmoil and violence seen during the #EndSARS protests.
Source: BBC
