On August 1, 2024, Nigerians started the “End Bad Governance in Nigeria” protests. In just five days, the movement has seen a series of peculiar events, reflecting the diverse ways in which citizens express their dissatisfaction with the government.
As a result, you can’t conclude that everyone in the country agrees with the protest. Even amongst protesters, there are varying degrees of discontent with the government, with some going as far as chanting that the president should resign to more mild demands such as the reduction of fuel prices.
With that said, below are 5 of the most interesting events in the 5 days of the End Bad Governance in Nigeria protests.
1. Curfew Defiance Across States
The protests began with immediate unrest, leading several states, including Kano, Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa, and Borno, to impose curfews. Kano’s governor, Abba Yusuf, announced a 24-hour curfew on the first day due to escalating chaos. Despite this, residents in Minjibir and Rimin Kebe continued to protest after Friday prayers, ignoring the curfew. The protests in Kano remained particularly tumultuous, straining the state’s infrastructure. By Sunday, the curfew was relaxed to 8am-2pm, a move followed by other states.
2. Protesters Waving Russian Flags
Some protesters surprisingly waved Russian flags and called for President Vladimir Putin’s intervention. This act raised alarms about potential threats to Nigeria’s democracy. Retired Brigadier General Bashir Adewinbi condemned the display and emphasized that such actions could destabilize the nation. He reassured the public that a coup was highly unlikely, given the loyalty of the security chiefs to President Bola Tinubu.
3. Leaked Presidential Speech
A major disruption occurred when President Tinubu’s anticipated state address was leaked online before its official delivery. The premature release allowed Nigerians to read along as he spoke, diminishing the impact of his message. Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, expressed outrage over the breach of journalistic ethics, accusing the media of unprofessionalism.
4. Calls for Ethnic Cleansing
The protests also unearthed deep-seated ethnic tensions. A movement on X (formerly Twitter), tagged #IgboMustGo and spearheaded by the Lagos influencer page Lagospedia, called for the expulsion of Igbo people from Lagos. This divisive campaign was countered by Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba group, which assured the safety of all Nigerians in Yorubaland. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also reassured the Igbo community of their security in the state.
5. Poor Internet Connectivity
Throughout the protests, Nigerians faced significant internet issues, particularly with the provider MTN. Many speculated that the timing of the outage was too convenient to be coincidental, suspecting foul play to hinder the protests. Despite numerous complaints on social media, MTN offered no explanation or solution, fueling further frustration among users.
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