Nigerians Face 24-Hour Curfews Amid Nationwide Protests

Millions of residents in northern Nigeria have been placed under stringent 24-hour curfews as nationwide protests against the soaring cost of living intensify. The governments of Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, and Katsina states have enforced the curfews, instructing locals to remain indoors and thereby curtailing any attempts to participate in the planned demonstrations on Friday.

Authorities justify the curfews, citing the need to prevent “hoodlums” from hijacking the protests to engage in looting and vandalism. A substantial security presence is observable across the country, with nine more “days of rage” organized by the protest movement still scheduled. On the inaugural day of protests, the northern city of Kano witnessed the largest gatherings, with thousands of demonstrators facing heavy police suppression. Security forces resorted to live bullets, tear gas, and hot water cannons to disperse the crowds. Tragically, three people were shot dead, and numerous others sustained injuries during the confrontations.

Looting also erupted in Kano, with a warehouse near the governor’s residence being broken into by looters. The police have reported the arrest of 269 individuals and the recovery of numerous stolen items, including 25-litre groundnut oil cartons. According to Amnesty International, 13 protesters across Nigeria were killed by security forces on the first day of the protests.

Thursday night saw further escalation when Nigeria’s police chief, Kayode Egbetokun, confirmed that an explosion in a crowd of protesters in Borno state resulted in four deaths and severely injured thirty-four others. This incident led to the imposition of a curfew in Borno, with the authorities citing the explosion as the reason for the lockdown. The explosion, which occurred on Wednesday night, killed 16 people at a teashop in the rural community of Kawori. Although no group has claimed responsibility, locals suspect Boko Haram, a jihadist group active in the region since 2009.

Despite the heavy security measures, protesters regrouped in major cities across Nigeria on Friday. In the capital city, Abuja, police deployed tear gas to prevent demonstrators from marching towards the city center and other satellite towns. In Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, some banks and shops reopened after remaining closed on the first day of protests, although the internet connection remains unstable.

Inspector-General Egbetokun announced that police officers are on “red alert” and prepared to respond swiftly to any threats to public safety and order. The nationwide protests have been organized via social media using the hashtag #EndBadGovernance, drawing inspiration from recent protests in Kenya, where demonstrators successfully pressured the government to abandon plans to increase taxes.

The protests, which were predominantly peaceful in the southern regions, saw demonstrators chanting slogans such as “We are hungry.” A significant catalyst for the unrest is President Bola Tinubu’s removal of a fuel subsidy, announced during his inauguration speech in May 2023. This policy, aimed at reducing government expenditure, resulted in a steep increase in fuel prices, causing a ripple effect that raised the prices of essential goods, including food.

Protesters are demanding not only the reinstatement of the fuel subsidy but also comprehensive reforms to Nigeria’s electoral system and judiciary. In Kano, a spokesperson for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf stated that while the protests were largely peaceful, a curfew was necessary to prevent “rampant looting, destruction of property, and violence” by “thugs.” Similarly, the Yobe State Government imposed a curfew in Potiskum, Gashua, and Nguru, areas where “hoodlums” were reportedly taking advantage of the protests to vandalize and loot properties. Katsina’s government echoed this sentiment, claiming that “miscreants” had “hijacked the protests” in their region.