Protesters

Abubakar Hashim

Nigeria is in turmoil. There were strings of protests in 16 States, out of 36 States: Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Plateau, Nassarawa, Sokoto, Rivers, Cross River, Ogun and Oyo. Three States, Borno, Kano and Yobe declared 24 hour curfew.

These 3 states were the epicentres of violence and mass looting yesterday. The National Communications Commission NCC Park in Kano, that is to be commissioned next week, was looted and burnt down. Government and private properties were also looted in the name of “peaceful“ protests in these 3 states of Kano, Borno and Yobe.

The northern states were more more violent in yesterday’s protests than the southern states that were far more peaceful in conducting protests.

Nigeria lost over $ 500 Million from yesterday’s protests as businesses were paralysed. The protest is expected to continue for a few more days.

The IGP has declared a “ red flag”, effective today, to quell any intended violence in any of the 36 states and Abuja.

Nigeria, once the largest economy in Africa, has currently slipped to a 3rd position, by Bloomberg rating, with South Africa taking the lead, followed by Egypt.

It is hyperbolic and irrational to heap blame squarely on the central government of President Bola Tinubu. Yes, he removed the fuel subsidy on May 29 2023, when he was inaugurated, but proceeds from the subsidy removal were allocated to the States for onward disbursement to cater for the welfare of the people.

Among these 36 states, the opposition parties controlled 10. The Federal Account Allocation Committee FAAC disbursement to the states in 2023/ 2024 is the highest, tripling all former allocations to states.

Where are the monies? They were allegedly mismanaged by the State Governors.
Though there were recently series of protests globally, as in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and even in the UK over the economy, the protests in Nigeria is different and more violent particularly in the Northern States, where the poverty levels are extremely high.

With today’s continuation of the protests, the police have a more herculean task to contain a time bomb that is ticking fast to explode in once the largest economy in Africa.