By Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The ongoing protests by Nigerians across the country to express their anger against the rising cost of living occasioned by a series of reforms being undertaken by the administration of Bola Tinubu since he became president more than one year ago puts the country on global focus.
Three days of protests led to the shut-down of economic and social activities in states of the country, loss of lives and destruction of public and private property as violent clashes broke out between protesters and security agencies in several states, including Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kano, Kwara and others.
Organised by a coalition of civil society groups with the ‘Take It Back Movement’ as the lead organisation using the hashtag #EndHunger, the groups for several weeks mobilised citizens across the country through social media. They are demanding among others, the immediate reversal of some aspects of the Tinubu administration’s policy reforms.
Initially, the organisers indicated that the action would last for 10 days, from August 1 to 10, released a litany of demands, including the reversal of increase in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS), and AGO due to the removal of fuel subsidy and halt the rising cost of living crisis, among other associated issues.
In the days leading to August 1, the group wrote a letter through their solicitor, Ebun Adegboruwa, a senior advocate of Nigeria, addressed to the inspector general of police, Kayode Egbetokun and requested for police protection across the designated routes it intended to take during the proposed protest.
Tinubu, in a conciliatory move, delivered a nationwide address where he called for an end to the ongoing protest, and offered the youths, who are leading the process, opportunity to a productive engagement, where their demands would be addressed.
The president added that some key issues raised in their demand are currently being implemented by governments at all levels, including federal, state, and local councils, to ensure that citizens enjoy a better standard of living possible in a peaceful and secured environment.
He expressed his regrets over the unrest and the loss of lives, particularly in states, including Borno and Kano, among others. He condemned the violence and destruction of public property, stating that “the destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them.”
He urged protesters to halt their actions and engage in dialogue with the government, emphasising the need for unity to address the nation’s challenges.
Tinubu also outlined the administration’s proactive actions towards addressing some of the demands of the youths as well as proposed measures aimed at alleviating economic burden on citizens. These include the removal of tariffs on importation of essential food items, distribution of fertilisers to farmers across, and the cultivation of over 10 million hectares of land to boost food production to attain food and nutrition security.
He reassured citizens that the administration’s commitment towards improving infrastructure across the sectors and creating job opportunities for teeming youths in the country. He said: “My vision for our country is one of a just and prosperous nation where each person may enjoy the peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihood that only democratic good governance can provide.”
He explained that he decided to remove the fuel subsidy and abolish multiple foreign exchange rates to grow the economy and promote national development. He said he took the painful decision to remove the fuel subsidy and eliminate multiple foreign exchange systems to block the greed and profits that smugglers and rent-seekers were exploiting.
Tinubu disclosed that the action also stopped the undue subsidies the country had extended to neighbouring countries to the detriment of its people, which had rendered the economy prostate.
The disposition of Tinubu for open dialogue with the youth leading the protest movement may be the elixir need at this time as it opens further opportunities for direct engage on the broad spectrum of issues raised by the ‘Take It Back Movement’, providing productive environment for national conversation.
Earlier, the leading opposition figures, including former Vice Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, civil society organisations and thought leaders had called on the president to address the nation on the festering protest.
In reaction to the speech by the president, a leading civil society leader, Auwal Musa Rifsanjani, the executive director, of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) applauded Tinubu for his recent address urging protesters and organizers to suspend further protests and embrace dialogue. CISLAC in statement signed by Musa, commended President Tinubu for offering the new impetus for constructive engagement on the demand of the young people. While he urged all stakeholders to heed the President’s call for dialogue, he said: “Open and constructive conversations are essential to addressing the underlying causes of unrest and finding sustainable solutions.”
Though for several weeks now, Tinubu in his characteristic manner as a democrat extended series of invitation to the protest organisers’ who initially seemed unwilling to be publicly identified, as they were anonymous, creating apprehensions and anxiety.
He also held high level meeting with traditional rulers, religious leaders, private sector and leaders of thought representing broad-spectrum of the country in a bid to stem the proposed national protests by appealing to them to shelve the proposed action as it will be inimical to the nation’s economic and security and overall wellbeing, rather to embrace dialogue which provides for a more productive options to resolve dispute.
Moreso, the President also engaged with state governors to reach out to Nigerians in their states on the need to shelve the protests and support the efforts towards peaceful resolution of all grievances expressed by the protest notifications.
The engagement with the leadership of the National Assembly resulted in the efforts by members who had engaged with their constituents to avert the impending hunger protest. Many of the officials had argued it will be counterproductive to the economy, which the Tinubu administration is making efforts to revamp through its many reforms.
The Minister of Communication and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris reiterated the government’s commitment to address the issues the youth may have amicably, through dialogue to prevent the unmitigated losses associated with national protests. Other officials of government across the executive and legislature branches engaging with Nigerians.
Historically, protest is not a tea party as it is bound to come with many downsides, which include loss in man-hours, destruction of lives and property, and impact on citizens in the informal sector who rely on daily wage-labour to fend for their families that are prevented from carrying out their daily businesses. Not forgetting the big elephant in the room, associated with protests with unscrupulous, criminal elements and hoodlums that take advantage of the situation to visit destruction and looting of public and private properties.
Though everyone acknowledges that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is the ground norm for the country, confers the right to assembly, to express opinions and protests to citizens. For many Nigerians protest is simply democracy in action, providing opportunity for citizens to give feedback to the government on its perception of the policies and implementation processes.
But the next big question will be how the citizens would engage the government in making their voices heard loud and clear to put forward the reality of their daily struggle which is their fundamental rights as citizens.
Secondly, how often does the government response through communication with the citizens in proactively engaging with the people, on every step of the way on why it has embarked on the reforms, gestation period as well as initial austere measures that everyone may need to bear to ensure that economic development and inclusive growth is achieved.
He urged protesters to halt their actions and engage in dialogue with the government, emphasising the need for unity to address the nation’s challenges.
Tinubu’s administration has proposed several measures aimed at alleviating the economic burden on citizens. These include the removal of tariffs on essential food items, the distribution of fertilisers to farmers, and the cultivation of over 10 million hectares of land to boost food production.
He reassured citizens that the government is committed to improving infrastructure and creating job opportunities, stating “my vision for our country is one of a just and prosperous nation where each person may enjoy the peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihood that only democratic good governance can provide.
Despite the efforts by the security agencies to manage the protest, there were reports of incidents of escalation of violence. Reports indicate that at least 17 people have died during the demonstrations, with many others injured as security forces tried to deploy crowd control tactics, employed live ammunition and tear gas to disperse crowds.
In Kano, where protests became intense, the state governor declared a 24-hour curfew to curb the widespread looting and unrest that broke out. Protesters clashed with law enforcement, leading to injuries and arrests.
Human rights organisations decried the heavy-handed tactics of security agencies including Amnesty International, which called for the protection of citizens; rights during the protests.
The police spokespersons maintained the police and other agencies continue to be professional in the discharge of the duty to maintain law and order in this challenging times.
The role of security agencies in the protests has been a contentious issue. While the government has a duty to maintain public order, many citizens feel that the response has been disproportionate. In major urban areas, police have been deployed in large numbers, often resorting to aggressive tactics to disperse crowds. In some instances, live bullets have been fired into the air to intimidate protesters, leading to further escalation of violence.
The security forces have justified their actions by citing the need to protect public property and maintain law and order. However, the use of such measures has raised concerns about human rights violations and the potential for further unrest. As the situation continues to unfold, the balance between maintaining order and respecting citizens rights remains a critical challenge for the government.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, on his part appealed for patience and understanding from Nigerians as the government works to improve the security situation, which they inherited as a tough challenge. He highlighted some progress made in reducing militancy in the Niger Delta and insecurity in the South East.
What next?
The nationwide hunger protests represent a pivotal moment in the country’s ongoing struggle for economic justice and accountability. As citizens demand action from their government, the need for dialogue and meaningful reform has never been more pressing. The loss of lives and the destruction of property underscore the urgency of addressing the root causes of discontent, including rising food prices and economic hardship.
Tinubu’s administration has unveiled its commitment to navigate through the delicate balance between maintaining order and responding to legitimate grievances of citizens as well pursuit of economic growth via reforms.