Millions of residents in northern Nigeria are currently under 24-hour curfews due to escalating nationwide protests against the rising cost of living. Authorities in Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, and Katsina states have mandated that citizens remain indoors to prevent participation in the demonstrations scheduled for Friday.
Officials justify the curfews by stating that “hoodlums” have taken over the protests to engage in looting and vandalism. As the situation intensifies, a significant security presence is noted across the country, especially with additional “days of rage” planned by protest organizers.
Protests in Kano have garnered substantial attention, with thousands taking to the streets on the opening day. In a bid to disperse the crowds, police deployed live ammunition, tear gas, and water cannons, leading to reports of three fatalities and numerous injuries. Reports indicate that looters breached a warehouse near the governor’s residence, resulting in 269 arrests and the recovery of stolen goods, including 25-litre containers of groundnut oil. Human rights organization Amnesty International reported that at least 13 protesters were killed by security forces nationwide on the first day of demonstrations.
In Borno state, a day-long curfew was instituted in reaction to a recent bombing that killed 16 individuals at a teashop in Kawori. Authorities indicated that the restrictions were implemented following protests in Maiduguri, where police also resorted to tear gas to control demonstrators.
The unrest is linked to a wave of nationwide protests, reportedly inspired by recent successful demonstrations in other countries. In the capital Abuja, protesters voiced their frustrations with chants highlighting their hunger and economic struggles, a sentiment fueled by President Bola Tinubu’s abrupt removal of a fuel subsidy during his inauguration in May 2023. This decision has led to skyrocketing fuel prices, significantly impacting the cost of living, particularly for essential goods.
Many protesters are also calling for comprehensive reforms in the electoral and judicial systems. A spokesperson for the Kano governor reported that while protests remained largely peaceful, the curfew was necessary to address the violence and property damage caused by opportunistic individuals. Similarly, the Yobe State government has imposed curfews in areas where “hoodlums” have exploited the unrest to commit crimes. Katsina officials echoed these concerns, stating that the protests had been compromised by “miscreants”.
