Nigerians have poured into the streets in major cities across the nation to protest against economic hardship despite the government’s last-minute push to prevent the demonstration.
Inflation has reached 34 per cent owing majorly to the twin policies of subsidy removal and floating of the naira. That has pushed the cost of basic items beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians.
Talks about the demonstration tagged #EndBadGovernance protest had gained momentum on social media, leading discussions among young Nigerians on digital platforms.
Authorities across the country had in the wake of calls for the protest rallied around to halt it. They warned that they might be hijacked by criminals. While they admitted to the challenges facing the nation, they urged the organisers to shelve the protest and give the government more time to address the issues raised.
But undeterred, the Take It Back Movement, one of the organisers of the protest said it was not going back on the rallies. Some of the demands of the protesters include the restoration of petrol subsidies and the forex regime. They also want the government to address food shortages, unemployment, and wasteful spending by those in power. Other are immediate reforms of the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with renewed vigour in the fight against corrupt politicians.
CHANNELS TV reporters whom are stationed across the states in the convened areas of the protest gave insight with the protesters:
03: 58 pm: The protesters here in Ojota, Lagos State have rounded off for the day. They say they’ll reconvene on Friday morning.
03:18 pm: The atmosphere in Anambra State is still calm with no news of protest in any part of the state whether in the urban, semi-urban, or rural areas.
02:41 pm: Suspected hoodlums hijack protest in Katsina, loot properties
02:37 pm: Protesters vandalise streetlights, and signboards as they cater away with valuables on Katsina Road, Airport Roundabout in Kano.
02:19 pm: The spokesman of Yobe State Police Command DSP Dungus Abdulkarim has confirmed the burning of mass transit buses in Potiskum.
01: 56 pm: Protesters in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, have joined the nationwide demonstration.
There is a heavy security presence to ensure a peaceful procession. The Nasarawa Commissioner of Police, Usman Nadada, had announced the deployment of 4,000 personnel to monitor the protest in the state.
They carried placards with several inscriptions like, ‘End Bad Governance’, ‘We are Hungry,’ and chants of ‘ba mu yi’ in Hausa, meaning, ‘We are not interested.
01:55 pm: Fubara Hails Protesters’ Peaceful Disposition In Rivers
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has commended protesters in the state for being peaceful, despite the reality of the economic hardship that prompted the agitation.
Governor Fubara stated this while addressing the protesters who marched to the Government House in Port Harcourt to register their grievances.
He reassured the youths of his unwavering commitment to improving the state’s economy and the overall welfare of the people.
The governor said the peaceful nature of the protests demonstrates their genuine desire for positive change and underscores the importance of addressing their concerns promptly. He urged the protesters to continue to exercise patience and trust in his administration’s efforts to bring about meaningful economic reforms.
He, however, cautioned the protesters to be vigilant against elements within the state who might attempt to hijack the peaceful protest to incite violence, particularly in the current political situation.
01:44 pm: The police have arrested 25 suspects in connection with the violent attacks on government agencies. The spokesman of the Kaduna Police Command Mansir Hassan said some of the arrested suspects are IMN members.
One of the suspects was caught with AK-47 live ammunition, a jack knife, and a police camouflage uniform.
01:21 pm: Protesters in Benin, Edo State are gathered at the King Square.
01:18 pm: The police fire tear gas on protesters at the Inter Bau roundabout in Asaba, Delta State
01:16 pm: Protesters in Bauchi Regroup, Advance To the Govt House
Protesters in the Bauchi metropolis have regrouped and are insisting on advancing to the government house after being dispersed by the police at the Emir’s Palace.
They marched to the Nassarawa Gate and CBN Roundabout but were dispersed once again by the police. Roads leading to the government house have been barricaded, and movement around the vicinity is restricted.
The organisers of the ‘Take it Back’ protest earlier stated that they were finding it difficult to control the youths who had joined the protest.
01:05 pm: Port Harcourt Turns Ghost Town Amidst ‘End Bad Governance’ Protest
In Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Day 1 of the nationwide ‘End Bad Governance’ protest left the city looking like a ghost town. Places known to be a beehive of activities, even on public holidays, are a shadow of themselves.
12:54 pm: Gov Diri Applauds Bayelsa Youths For ‘Abstaining From National Protest’
12:46 pm: Police, Army Disperse Protesters In Zamfara
The joint security forces of the police and the army have dispersed some protesters who mounted a roadblock and burned tyres along Government House in Gusau, Zamfara State.
The police operatives fired teargas to disperse the protesters while the Nigerian Army deployed an armored vehicle to the scene to restore normalcy
12: 29 pm: The state traffic law enforcement agency located along Sokoto Road, near the Government House in Kaduna has been set on fire.
12: 19 pm: In Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, the atmosphere is calm and no protesters have been seen on the major streets this early morning but the streets are scanty. The state governor did a state-wide broadcast on Wednesday and the state assembly also held a plenary to appeal to citizens to consider the possible unforeseen negative effects of such protests.
Stakeholders and other unions in the state also condemned the proposed protest, saying that the country can not have a repeat of the 2020 #EndSARS protest which took many lives and properties destroyed all over the country.
12: 08 pm: The Gidan Baban Gwari area of the Kano metropolis is flooded with protesters carrying placards and green leaves. Security personnel are seen ensuring that there is no breakdown of law and order.
11:55 am: Police disperse protesters with teargas at the National Assembly junction in Abuja.
11:53 am: The protest just commenced in Taraba State. But Security agencies have asked that they turn back even as they chant saying let the government return fuel subsidy.
10: 35 am: In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, most of the major roads are nearly empty. The commercial areas like Challenge saw few shops open for businesses.
A magistrate court yesterday gave an order that the planned protest should be restricted to the Metropolitan Square and some minutes to noon. The place is empty of protesters except few security operatives on the ground.
11:36 am: The protesters have arrived at the Rivers State Government House. They’re waiting for Governor Sim Fubara to come and address them.
11: 28 am: There is a charged atmosphere in Ojota, Lagos as protesters chase a small group of anti-protest campaigners.
11:24 am: There are partially empty streets in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
11:19 am: Members of Initiative for Better and Brighter Nigeria on procession in Jos.
11:16 am: Protesters are now at the Lekki Toll Gate. They are carrying placards with different messages. They, were, however, informed of a court order restricting their gathering to Alausa. But the few who gathered rejected relocating to Alausa and continued their protest.
But they were dispersed after the police fired teargas at them.
11:08 am: Students marching in support of the President at Farmcentre in Kano State.
11:01 am: As of now in Cross River State, the protest is only held along the Mary Slessor axis in Calabar. They are protesting under the rain, stating their plight.
10: 52 am: The protest in Bauchi State has been disrupted as police fired tear gas at demonstrators.
The protesters, who had assembled in front of the Emir’s palace to demand a meeting with the Emir, were stopped by a police barricade. Fearing the crowd was becoming unruly, the police deployed tear gas. The youths are insisting that they be allowed to continue their protest.
10: 51 am: It’s a rainy morning in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital. A visit across the city shows a partially empty street, with businesses shut down. Even the Lafia Modern Market has few traders with a security presence to ensure law and order.
The police had announced the deployment of 4,000 personnel across the state. There is no protest going on at the moment in the state.
Several groups had dissociated from the action, following appeals from several quarters, including the government.
10:42 am: There are also counter-protesters at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
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