Western nations issue warnings over protests in African state

The American, British, and Canadian governments fear marches planned for this week in Nigeria could turn violent

The US, the UK, and Canada have issued security warnings to their citizens in Nigeria ahead of protests scheduled for this week over economic hardship and record inflation in the West African country.

The three countries’ embassies in Abuja published separate advisories on their websites, expressing concern about potential unrest during the demonstrations expected across Nigeria from Thursday to August 10.

The Canadian government warned that the protests “could turn violent at any time” and advised its citizens to avoid large gatherings while adhering to the orders of local authorities.

“Past protests have turned violent with little warning. Exercise caution when traveling,” the UK Foreign Office urged.

The US Embassy also advised American citizens to avoid demonstrations and “carry proper identification” amid an expected heightened security presence.

Activists in Africa’s most populous state have called for ten days of nationwide marches against “bad governance,” which they have blamed for the country’s economic crisis.

Nigerians are facing the worst cost-of-living crisis in nearly 30 years, after President Bola Tinubu scrapped a contentious fuel subsidy and announced other reforms when he took office in May last year. The country’s inflation rate hit 34.19% in June, with food inflation exceeding 40%, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Last week, Tinubu warned the country’s youth against protests, calling the organizers people with “sinister motives... capitalizing” on economic woes.

The organizers of the planned protests are said to have been inspired by recent events in Kenya, where weeks of deadly rallies forced the government to withdraw a financial bill that would have increased taxes.

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While acknowledging citizens’ right to peaceful protest, Abuja law enforcement officials have warned that the demonstrations could instigate violence. Major General Edward Buba, Nigeria’s defense spokesperson, stated last Thursday that the army will take action to prevent chaos.

Nigeria has a history of violent crackdowns on protesters. In October 2020, security forces brutally repressed protests against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), an infamous police unit accused of extrajudicial killings that has since been disbanded.