The United States, United Kingdom, and Canada have issued security alerts to their citizens in Nigeria, warning of potential violence during the planned nationwide protests. This comes ahead of a protest against hunger and hardship, scheduled to begin on August 1, 2024.
In separate travel advisories, these countries advised their citizens to avoid areas where confrontations between security agencies and protesters might occur.
The US Mission in Abuja urged Americans to stay away from the rallies, advising them to steer clear of crowds and demonstrations and stay updated via local media. The alert highlighted the potential for roadblocks, checkpoints, traffic congestion, and physical confrontations. It stated, “According to media reports, nationwide protests may occur in Nigeria between July 29th and August 5th, 2024. Based on past occurrences, protests may involve roadblocks, checkpoints, traffic congestion, and physical confrontations.”
Similarly, the UK High Commission warned that protests could occur between July 29 and August 10 in major cities like Abuja and Lagos. British nationals were advised to exercise caution, avoid large crowds, and stay informed through media reports. The advisory read, “Political rallies, protests, and violent demonstrations can take place with little notice. Get advice on areas to avoid. Take care if you’re visiting crowded public places or attending events which attract large crowds. If you see a threatening or intimidating situation, do not try to make your way through it. Turn around and move to safety.”
The Canadian government also alerted its citizens about the demonstrations, cautioning them to expect disruptions in traffic and public transportation. They warned that protests could become violent unexpectedly and advised vigilance, adherence to local authorities’ instructions, and continuous monitoring of local media for updates. The advisory noted, “Nationwide demonstrations are planned between July 29 to August 5, 2024. They could disrupt traffic and public transportation and could turn violent at any time.”
These advisories reflect heightened concerns over the planned nationwide protests and their potential impact on safety and security in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, one of the leaders of the planned #EndBadGovernance protest said that the Eagle Square in Abuja is a public property, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, must allow “hungry Nigerian youths” to demonstrate their displeasure at the facility.
Damilare Adenola, the Director of Mobilisation of Take It Back Movement, a non-governmental organization, stated this on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme. The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the FCT in August.
Prices of food and basic commodities have skyrocketed in recent months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
Adenola, the youth leader, had signed a letter addressed to the minister seeking the use of the facility. The letter, dated July 26, 2024, was broadcast on social media platforms. However, the FCT minister said on Saturday that he had not received the letter.
Adenola, on Sunday, blamed the delay in the delivery of the letter on bureaucratic bottlenecks in government but said the minister would get the letter unfailingly on Monday ahead of the demonstration starting Thursday. The protest mobilizer said, “It is possible that the receipt of the letter is being delayed by most likely bureaucracy in government or the minister is likely being insincere about receiving the letter. If he (Wike) insists that he hasn’t received it, the alternative is that he was served by publication because many Nigerian ministries streamline what to receive or not. If he says he didn’t get it physically, then we could as well say that he was served by publication. If he says he wants it by Monday, we will serve him.”
Adenola emphasized that Eagle Square is a public property and expressed surprise at the minister’s demand for payment. He stated, “The truth is that Eagle Square is a public property. When I saw the video of the minister, I was amazed because I saw the minister asking us to pay rent, pay security fees, and all that. My question to the minister is this: how does the minister expect a greater population of Nigerian youths who are impoverished, who have no jobs to afford to exorbitant he is expecting us to pay? We are going to be at the Eagle Square on August 1st.”
He further highlighted the driving force behind the protest, saying, “It’s a double insult to tag the organisers of the protest as faceless.” He emphasized that hunger is a great motivation for the protest and that the organizers of the protest need not be privileged Nigerians to express themselves. “The organisers of the protest are hungry Nigerians; they are a host of unemployed Nigerians, they are a host of hopeless Nigerians who are roaming the streets. They are the out-of-school children spread across the country. These are the organisers of the protest and the greatest motivation of this #EndBadGovernance protest is hunger. People are really hungry,” he said. “This is the idea of battered Nigerian people, this is the idea of hungry Nigerian people, this is the idea of hopeless Nigerian people. Young people are tired and need to express their displeasure against government’s malfeasance,” he added.
In another development, the protest campaigner revealed that the bank account of the organization was blocked on the orders of the Department of State Services (DSS). He said, “The account of the TIB was arbitrarily blocked by UBA allegedly on the orders of the DSS,” adding that the bank was yet to respond to queries from the group. He urged security agencies to take up the challenge and make themselves available at all protest venues in the country.
The planned nationwide protests have garnered significant attention, with various groups and individuals expressing their support or opposition. The situation remains tense as the protest date approaches, and the international community continues to monitor developments closely. The advisories from the US, UK, and Canada serve as a reminder of the potential risks associated with large-scale protests in volatile environments. As Nigerians prepare to take to the streets, the call for responsible and peaceful demonstrations becomes ever more critical to ensure the safety and security of all involved.
