After a successful 10-day demonstration, the organizers of the nationwide hunger protests have announced that the protests will resume on Tuesday, October 1.
On August 1, Nigerians took to the streets to express their grievances over the high cost of living, economic hardship, bad governance, and hunger. What was intended to be a peaceful protest escalated into violence as hoodlums hijacked the march, leading to the theft, looting, and destruction of property, particularly in Northern Nigeria. At least 40 peaceful protesters were killed by security operatives in Abuja, Niger, Kaduna, and Bauchi States.
President Bola Tinubu appealed to protesters to suspend the demonstrations in a nationwide broadcast on August 2, but the protesters vowed to continue until their demands are met. Their demands include the return of the fuel subsidy, reduction in governance costs, and a decrease in food prices. Additional demands are an increase in the minimum wage to N250,000, the release of Nnamdi Kanu, and the adoption of a people-driven constitution.
The protest concluded on August 10 with a one-million-man march across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Key organizer Omoyele Sowore has announced that the demonstrations will resume on Nigeria’s Independence Day. He noted that meetings are underway to plan the next phase of the protests, which might start earlier depending on the situation.