Security Forces Battle Protestors in Abuja, Southeast Stands Down
By Ebere Inyama and Ezinwanne Onwuka
(Abuja) As the anti-Bad Governance protest plowed into its third day, the Nigerian capital churned with mixed emotions. True, initial fervor of the demo has waned, but a remnant has doubled down in its demands for an end to corruption and the start of government-led solutions to horrific living conditions.
The protest tagged #EndBadGovernance, was planned to hold simultaneously across the nation for 10 consecutive days, from August 1 – all aimed to compel the administration of President Bola Tinibu to restore the petrol subsidy and to reverse policies that sparked hyper-inflation.
The turnout Saturday, August 3, was noticeably smaller than the previous two days, with the crowds concentrated in a specific area rather than spreading across the city. However, those who showed up were no less passionate.
The Moshood Abiola National Stadium remains the focal point of the protests, as directed by the Federal Capital Territory High Court for security reasons. While there are reports of scattered demonstrations in other parts of Abuja, the main demo gathers at the stadium.
The protesters, chiefly the young, have gathered peacefully, singing anthems of solidarity and voicing mantras such as “End bad governance,” “We want a better Nigeria,” and “Tinubu must go. The mood is charged but peaceful.
The atmosphere at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium is tense, but calm, with the security forces, including the Nigeria Police Force, keeping a watchful eye from a distance.
The presence of security personnel, while expected, creates a sense of unease among the protesters, who are cautious about the possibility of escalation. In previous days, tensions were high as law enforcement resorted to using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Meanwhile, the protest movement, which initially consisted mainly of students and youth activists, has now grown to include traders and government workers. The growing participation demonstrates a collective resolve to demand accountability and good governance.
Apart from the street protests, there were peaceful sit-ins at government offices and public institutions in the capital city.
One protester, who identified himself only as C-boy, explained why he joined the movement. “I’m here because I’m tired of the suffering in this country,” he said. “I’m tired of the lack of jobs, the high cost of basic necessities and education, the bad roads, and the corruption. I’m also tired of a government that seems unbothered about our plight. I want a better future for myself. Nigerians deserve better.”
However, things took a turn around 12:40 p.m. local time when the protest was suddenly disrupted. Security forces fired tear gas at the crowd, forcing them to disperse. There were also reports from TheCable that masked men in plain clothes, believed to be officers from the Department of State Services (DSS), fired shots at the protesters.
As the protests continue in other parts of Nigeria, it is clear that the Nigerian people are determined to make their voices heard. Despite calls from high-ranking officials to end the demonstrations, the protesters are sending a strong message to the government.
Southeast Residents Opt To Obey Sit–At–Home Order
Ongoing nationwide protests failed to take place in the southeastern part of the country as residents remained indoors on the first, second and third day of the protests.
While residents in most parts of Northern and southern Nigeria trooped out to the streets in to protest, the southeastern part of Nigeria has remained calm as the protest failed to hold across Imo, Abia, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states on Thursday 1st August and Friday, 2nd August, 2024.
In Imo, there was heavy downpour from morning till late in the afternoon on the 1st of August. Banks and Supermarkets remained closed for businesses and residents remained indoors. The following day, 2nd August, residents remained indoors until late in the afternoon before few people started coming out for business. Banks and most government offices remained shut.
The situation was not different in other southeastern states.
In Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi states, residents remained indoors while banks, shops and most government offices remained closed for business on the first and second day of the nationwide protest.
Earlier in July, the self-proclaimed leader of The Biafran Government in Exile, Simon Ekpa had ordered a sit–at–home in the southeast on 29th, 30th , 31st July and 2nd of August, 2024.
Southeasterners have fewer number of low-income salary earners
A truck driver and former employee of Julius Berger based in Owerri, Imo state, Mr. Kelechi Amadi, told TruthNigeria that the reason why the protest did not hold in the southeast is because most southeasterners do not depend on salary.
“Majority of those who joined the protest are low-income government workers who depend on salary for survival. With the devaluation of the naira and removal of petrol subsidy by the federal government since 2023, the average salary of a Nigerian worker can no longer pay his bills,” Amadi said.
“Unlike their counterparts in other parts of Nigeria, most of the southeasterners are not government employees and as such, they do not depend on salary. They are mostly self-employed artisans and businessmen,” Amadi added.
Igbos Adapt To Any Harsh Economic Condition
A food vendor based in Awka, Anambra state, Mrs. Veronica Ezuma told TruthNigeria that she knew the protest would not take in the Southeast.
“How do you expect Igbos to troop out in the streets protesting scarcity of food or high cost of living? We cannot do that,” Ezuma said.
“At the peak of the Nigeria – Biafra Civil War of 1967 to 1970, the federal government of Nigeria devised a strategy whereby they blocked all the routes through which the Biafran nation received humanitarian aid such as food and medicine. As a result, over 1 million Biafrans died of starvation.
“As if that is not enough, the federal government stripped all the Igbos of their hard-earned money including the monies lodged in Nigerian-owned banks and gave each person a paltry 20 pounds with which to start life afresh.
Southeasterners shunned protests to woo Tinibu to release Nnamdi Kanu
Perhaps, the major reason why the southeasterners refused to join the nationwide protest lies in the continued incarceration of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu by the federal government of Nigeria.
In a statement on Thursday 1st August, 2024, the Secretary-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr. Okechukwu Isiguzoro stated that the boycott of the protests by the people of the Southeast should motivate President Bola Tinubu to listen to the plea of the leaders and other Nigerians to release Nnamdi Kanu from detention.
“We, the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, wish to express our profound gratitude to all Igbos at home and in the Diaspora for their unwavering commitment to the decision to boycott the nationwide protests. The Southeast region has shown remarkable unity and resilience in standing against external pressures and manipulations aimed at using Igbos as sacrificial lambs for selfish political agendas,” according to the press release.
Ebere Inyama is an Imo state-based conflict reporter for TruthNigeria. Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Kaduna.
