BTN News: Nigeria is facing a serious economic crisis. This has led to big protests across the country. People are angry about the lack of food and the government’s corruption. As the protests continue, clashes with the police have become violent. At least nine people have died in these confrontations. A human rights group reported this on Friday.
Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and is rich in oil. Yet, many Nigerians live in poverty. The gap between the rich officials and the poor citizens is huge. This has caused a lot of frustration among the people. During the protests, a police officer was killed and several others were injured. This shows how severe the clashes have become.
In the northeastern state of Borno, a bomb exploded. This killed four protesters and injured 34 others. This area has been struggling with violence for a long time. Millions of people have been forced to leave their homes and face severe food shortages.
To control the situation, the authorities have arrested more than 300 protesters. They have also imposed curfews in four northern regions. This is to stop the violence and looting of government properties. Police Director Kayode Egbetokun said they might even ask the army for help if needed.
Amnesty International’s Nigeria Director, Isa Sanusi, confirmed the number of deaths. He did this by talking to witnesses, families of the victims, and lawyers. The protests are happening because of the severe lack of food and accusations of bad governance. The protesters are demanding the return of gas and electricity subsidies. The government removed these subsidies as part of its economic reforms.
Many young people are leading the protests. They are carrying signs, ringing bells, and waving the national flag. They are chanting together, asking for changes in the country’s economic policies. They want to make life better for everyone.
The northern region is hit hardest by hunger and insecurity. This area has seen the most violence and looting. Protesters have been seen running away with looted items like furniture and cooking oil. This shows how desperate the situation has become.
Director Egbetokun said the police were trying to ensure peaceful protests. But he also said that some events showed the protests were turning into mass rebellion and looting. Human rights groups and activists disagree with him. They say the police are using too much force.
Sanusi from Amnesty International said the security forces seem to be trying to kill, not just control the crowd. Anietie Ewang, a researcher for Human Rights Watch, also criticized the police. She said the level of response was too much for the threats posed by the protests. The protests started gaining momentum on social media, and authorities are worried they could become as violent as past protests.
In 2020, there were deadly protests against police brutality in Nigeria. Recently, there were also violent protests in Kenya against a tax hike. The government fears a repeat of these events in Nigeria. But human rights observers say the police response has been too harsh.
In conclusion, the protests in Nigeria show the deep problems in the country. The people are demanding urgent reforms. The government needs to balance security with the right to protest peacefully. The world is watching, hoping for a solution that helps the Nigerian people and fixes the issues of bad governance and economic hardship.
