By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerians have taken to the streets to begin protesting against economic hardships despite the government’s efforts to halt the development.
Checks by Business Post as of press time indicate that people have started gathering across major cities, including Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja.
Nigeria has been battling increased hardship amid policies instituted by President Bola Tinubu, leading inflation to rise to a 28-year-high of 34.19 per cent.
The government has engaged in a lot of tactics, including using security agencies, religious clerics, traditional rulers and other prominent Nigerians, to persuade young people to embark on protests.
It has also stepped in with job opportunities, grants, and other promises, but to no avail.
Observers have also called for caution as demonstrations have been hijacked by troublemakers and thugs in the past.
Across states of the federation, the government has also stepped in with heavy security with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, directing his men across the country to “deal decisively” with arsonists and troublemakers.
He added that the organisers of the planned demonstrations failed to furnish the police with the details of the protests including the names of intending participants, and routes of rallies, among others.
In a statement on Wednesday, Amnesty International’s Nigeria Director, Mr Isa Sanusi called on the Nigerian government and security agencies to allow protesters to exercise their rights.
“The Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both the country’s constitution and human rights treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party. Government officials must also refrain from issuing rhetoric to demonize protesters and stifle peaceful dissent,” he said.
“Authorities must not use the proposed nationwide protests as a ploy to crackdown on human rights including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. People must be allowed to freely exercise their right to peaceful protest. The arrests of at least three people last week for allegedly supporting the protests on social media show the authorities’ intolerance of peaceful dissent.
“The escalating price of food is driving millions of people in Nigeria deeper into poverty while countless families are increasingly unable to afford the costs of healthcare and education. The Nigerian authorities must begin seriously addressing the underlying issues driving the protests instead of ramping up repression and stifling peaceful dissent.
“Authorities must show the commitment to upholding the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations by allowing people to freely exercise their human rights including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association,” he added.
Modupe Gbadeyanka