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Nigerian police Thursday fired live bullets and tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters in Kano, rallying against the rising cost of living. Demonstrators chanted “We are hungry” as businesses across the country shut down.
In Kano, the largest crowd gathered, and chaos ensued when protesters set tires on fire outside the state governor’s house. The police responded with gunfire, injuring four people who were taken to the hospital. Despite the use of tear gas and hot water cannons, the protesters remained defiant.
Looters broke into a nearby warehouse, taking away merchandise. The protests, organized through social media, were inspired by recent demonstrations in Kenya that successfully forced the government to cancel planned tax hikes.
In the capital, Abuja, a court had ordered protesters to remain at the National Stadium on the city’s outskirts. However, on Thursday morning, demonstrators shouting “End bad governance” marched towards the city center, prompting police to fire tear gas to stop them. Security forces were strategically deployed, and even banks stayed closed in the capital and surrounding towns.
In Lagos demonstrators gathered in the Ojota area, shouting “ole” (thief in Yoruba) at President Bola Tinubu and his government. Many are outraged by Tinubu’s removal of a fuel subsidy, announced in May 2023, which has caused fuel prices and the cost of other goods to soar.
“The top demand is to reverse the subsidy removal,” Abuja protester Abiodun Sanusi said. Protesters also called for wide-ranging reforms in the electoral system and judiciary.
Before the protests, the government urged Nigerians to give President Tinubu time for his policies to take effect. However protesters could hear none of it. Lagos protester Kingsley Uadiale countered, “Hunger is the reason why we’re all here. You can’t beat a baby and ask the baby not to cry.” He criticized the administration for asking for patience while planning to purchase expensive private jets.
Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, an activist protesting in Lagos, emphasized the aim of reversing price hikes on essential commodities. “If they don’t yield, we will continue to protest,” she told the press.
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