Nigerian police are currently managing sporadic but well-coordinated protests led by the country’s youth, who began a 10-day series of anti-government demonstrations on Thursday. Videos shared online depict protesters clashing with security personnel, reminiscent of recent protests in Kenya, complete with teargas and traffic disruptions.
A poster circulated on social media since July 6 announced the protests, calling on Nigerian youth to take to the streets from August 1 to 10, 2024, to demand better governance from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The organizers cited their constitutional right under Section 40 to hold the government accountable through mass actions.
The protests, organized under the hashtag #ENDBGIN, outline 12 key demands, including the end of alleged anti-people policies, over-taxation, and the need for electoral reforms. The protesters also call for the restoration of previous import duty rates, a reduction in salaries and allowances for all house representatives, including senators and the speaker, and the creation of an emergency fund to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Other demands focus on reforms within the Judiciary, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The protesters are specifically calling for INEC to become independent, with transparent processes for appointing its chairman, and for a law mandating INEC to electronically transmit live electoral results.
These protests draw significant parallels with Kenya’s recent anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, where Kenyan youth, despite facing harsh suppression from anti-riot police, managed to breach Parliament’s barricades, leading to the vandalism of furniture and a section being set on fire. Following these events, President William Ruto withdrew the controversial bill, fired his cabinet, and introduced austerity measures.
Nigerian youths appear similarly determined to push for government reforms and better governance. The protest poster advises participants to carry placards, handkerchiefs, bottles of water, white cloth or ribbon, and the Nigerian flag, and to dress in black and white.
In Abuja, the poster instructed protesters to gather at local government assemblies, House representative residences, governors’ offices, and the National Assembly. It also urged those in Enugu, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja, and Kaduna to block all roads leading to the city and airport on the first day of the protests.
