The streets of Lagos echoed with chants and solidarity songs on Thursday as protesters gathered for the first day of the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations. Despite concerns of potential violence, the protests remained peaceful throughout the day.
Beginning around 8 a.m. in Ikeja, the Lagos State capital, a large group of demonstrators, primarily youth, marched to Ojota where they joined forces with other protesters. Carrying placards with messages such as “End bad governance,” “We are hungry,” and “Reverse electricity tariff now,” the protesters voiced their frustrations with Nigeria’s current economic situation.
Mojola Bankole, a widow and mother of three who participated in the protest, shared her struggles with Nigeria’s failing economy. “I’m a mother of three, I can’t feed them. I do more than one job just to survive,” she told reporters.
Another demonstrator, Mira Friday, called on President Bola Tinubu to address the rising cost of living. “We can’t afford to eat one meal a day. Things are getting costly every day. Cost of transportation has also risen. We want the government to bring down the price of fuel and food,” Friday stated.
The Explainer gathered that Security forces, including the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), were present at the protest sites to maintain order. Police officers were equipped with riot gear, and armored vehicles were visible. A white helicopter was also observed hovering over Freedom Park in Ojota at the start of the protest.
The demonstrations concluded peacefully around 4 p.m., with protesters vowing to return the following day. The #EndBadGovernance protest is scheduled to continue for ten days, from August 1 to August 10.
On Wednesday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had appealed for peaceful demonstrations, urging protesters to remember the tragic turn of events during the 2020 EndSARS protest, which began peacefully but was later hijacked, resulting in widespread property destruction.
As the protests continue, both demonstrators and authorities remain cautious, hoping to avoid a repeat of past violence while addressing the pressing economic concerns raised by the protesters.
