Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna, and Jigawa – At least 17 people are feared killed during anti-government protests that took place across Nigeria on Thursday.
The demonstrations, under the banner of the #EndBadGovernance movement, began peacefully but turned violent in several cities, leading to confrontations between police and protesters.
In the capital Abuja, one person was shot dead along the Kubwa expressway, according to an eyewitness. The police also clashed with protesters at the Eagles Square near the Presidential Villa, firing teargas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
Similar scenes unfolded in other parts of the country. Two people were killed in Jigawa, while six others were reportedly gunned down by security forces in Niger state. Four died in Borno and three in Kaduna during the protests.
The protests, which were calling for a reversal of the recent fuel price hike, an end to insecurity, and electoral reforms, saw many businesses, banks, and markets shut down for fear of the demonstrations escalating into a crisis.
Despite the violence, the organizers of the protests, including the Take It Back Movement, vowed to continue the demonstrations until their demands are met by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The various court orders restricting protesters to particular locations are an aberration. Our presence here today is an announcement that we have been oppressed for too long. Today, we have risen,” said Damilare Adenola, the Director of Mobilization for the Take It Back Movement.
The government, on the other hand, attempted to counter the protests by bringing in pro-government demonstrators, some of whom admitted to being promised 5,000 naira to participate in a counter-protest.
As the situation remains tense, all eyes will be on the government’s response to the widespread unrest and the protesters’ demands for immediate action on the country’s pressing issues.
