The government in Nigeria accused Russia of orchestrating the protests in this most populous African country. The police said they arrested 31 protesters suspected of treason and serving foreign interests, as they “distributed Russian flags and called for anarchy” during the marches.
Nigerian security forces killed dozens and wounded hundreds during the protests over the soaring cost of living that began on August 1.
The organizers of the protests remain anonymous, acting online and using the hashtag #EndBadGovernance in Nigeria: #10 days of rage.
The protesters claim that the reforms President Bola Tinubu implemented after he took office in May last year have caused a rise in the cost of living and led to an economic crisis.
On August 4, following a deadly clash between the security officers and protesters, Tinubu addressed the demonstrators, defending his reforms and asking to end the protests.
Days before the protests began, Reno Omokri, a Nigerian political influencer with more than 2.5 million followers on X, alleged that the protests had nothing to do with the economic hardships but were driven by “political opportunists.” Omokri previously served as the special assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a post that went viral, Omokri claimed:
“I have organized protests in Nigeria and abroad and can tell you that this current planned protest is not against economic hardship, as the organizers tell you. These people are opportunists. They are seeking to ride in the anger of some Nigerians to achieve their political ambitions.”
That is misleading.
While the organization of the Nigerian protests remains murky, their demands are based on real economic and governing issues.
The 10 demands of #EndbadGovernance protests revolve around the high cost-of-living crisis, corruption and bad governance in Nigeria.
The protest organizers demand that the government address hunger, insecurity, the high cost of living, government waste, the protection of farms and farmers, the establishment of a living wage, the release of EndSARS protesters, human capital development, judicial and constitutional reforms and electoral reforms.
The demands of the protesters are not without merit.
The SARS, or Special Anti-Robbery Squad, in Nigeria is notorious for employing violent methods to extract information from suspects and punish dissent. Amnesty International accused SARS of extrajudicial executions, rape, torture and extortion. The SARS impunity caused nationwide protests in 2020, which the government repressed by deploying the military, killing and arresting dozens.
The West African court found the Nigerian government guilty of human rights abuses because of the way it handled the #EndSARS protests.
While the government disbanded the unit, the rights watchdogs and the protesters say SARS members have not been brought to justice but continue to enjoy impunity, and at least 15 protesters are still in jail without trial.
The government said on August 5 that no EndSARS protesters remain in custody.
Economic hardship is also a concern.
Reuters reported in May that “Nigeria’s consumer inflation accelerated to a new 28-year high in April, hitting 33.69% year-on-year, up from 33.20% in March.”
According to Nigeria’s Bureau of Statistics, the increase marked the 11th consecutive increase in inflation just nine months after Tinubu took office.
Economic analysts accuse Tinubu of causing the inflation increase by devaluing the local currency naira twice and slashing petrol and electricity subsidies put in place by his predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari, to ease the cost of living.
Since then, analysts say price pressure has left millions of Nigerians grappling with the worst cost of living crises in decades.
Inflation has further worsened the hunger situation in a country where UNICEF says at least 25 million Nigerians experience food insecurity.
In July, pressure from the unions forced Tinubu to increase the monthly minimum wages from 30,000 to 70,000 naira ($43). That is far from the 494,000 monthly wage the workers’ unions demand to correspond with the cost of living.
Transparency International ranks Nigerian government among the most corrupt in world: 145 out of 180 countries.
Corruption affects all sectors of the Nigerian government, including the judiciary, the election system and the National Assembly.
Protesters accuse Tinubu’s administration of stealing votes and running a bloated government, and they demand a 50% permanent reduction of all government branches.
In March, the Association of Nigerian Farmers said, “about 165 farmers across Nigeria have lost their lives in 2024 alone due to farmland insecurity.”
A report by the United Nations Office for Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs said, “In some cases, farmers had to pay huge sums of money to operatives of non-state armed groups (NSAGs) to be allowed to access their farms.”
The current protests were organized online using the #EndBadGovernance hashtag, inspired by the success of young people in Kenya who held rallies last month, forcing the Kenyan president to withdraw a controversial financial bill and fire his entire cabinet.
