Nigeria is facing a rapidly escalating cost-of-living crisis as widespread protests erupted across the nation, resulting in the deaths of at least six people and leaving many others injured.
The unrest has sparked fears that the country may plunge into deeper turmoil, further complicating President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to implement economic reforms.
The protests began as small demonstrations in Lagos and Abuja but quickly spread to other regions, including Kano, Katsina, and Port Harcourt.
Demonstrators took to the streets to voice their anger over government policies that have driven inflation to its highest level in nearly three decades.
The rising cost of basic goods and services has exacerbated the plight of Nigeria’s 200 million citizens, 40% of whom live in extreme poverty.
In the north-central Niger state, security operatives reportedly killed several protesters, according to the Daily Trust. The violence has also prompted a 24-hour curfew in Borno state after an explosion killed 16 people on Wednesday.
The exact cause of the explosion remains unclear, but it has added to the sense of instability and fear gripping the nation.
The organizers of the protests have utilized social-media campaigning methods similar to those recently used in Kenya, where anti-tax demonstrations forced the government to abandon measures aimed at raising over $2 billion in revenue.
The Nigerian protests, however, have already resulted in significant bloodshed and pose a serious threat to the Tinubu administration’s economic-reform program, which aims to attract foreign investment and stabilize the economy.
In Lagos, the city’s usually bustling streets were eerily quiet as banks closed their doors to customers to prevent potential attacks. Those that remained open saw little activity, as fear of violence kept people indoors.
Police in Abuja fired tear gas to disperse crowds, but the protesters were undeterred, continuing to demand action from the government.
Kano also saw significant unrest, with a government-owned property looted by protesters.
The chaos has led to increased security measures, with the Lagos State Police Command reporting that it safely neutralized an improvised explosive device in the city. Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects.
President Tinubu has repeatedly tried to quell the protests, warning last week that “we do not want to turn Nigeria into Sudan.” The reference to Sudan’s ongoing civil war, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and millions displaced, underscores the gravity of the situation in Nigeria.
The government’s attempts to defuse the nationwide protests have so far proven ineffective, with tensions continuing to rise.
The current unrest is reminiscent of Nigeria’s past struggles with civil demonstrations. In 2020, rallies against police brutality resulted in at least 56 deaths, according to Amnesty International.
The popular Lekki Tollgate in the affluent Victoria Island area of Lagos, a flashpoint during the 2020 protests, remained largely empty on Thursday amid heavy police deployment.
