Protesters gathered on Tuesday morning at the Ikeja Underbridge in Lagos to mark Nigeria’s 2024 Independence Day with a demonstration against the economic challenges facing the country.

Naijaonpoint reports that the protest, organized under the banner #FearlessOctober1, is taking place amidst tight security, with a significant presence of law enforcement.

Security personnel at the scene include police officers, members of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and officials from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Leading the police contingent is the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, who is overseeing the demonstration closely.

Protesters, chanting solidarity songs, held placards with messages such as “Reverse electricity tariff now,” “End all attacks on democratic rights,” “Reduce petrol price to ₦197 per litre; end scarcity,” and “Profit soars while people suffer.”

Civil society groups, including the Take It Back Movement, the Education Rights Campaign, the Coalition for Revolution, and the Socialist Workers League, are at the forefront of this protest.

This marks the second large-scale protest in two months, as Nigerians continue to voice their frustration over worsening economic conditions.

The organisers stated that the #FearlessOctober1 demonstration is a follow-up to the #EndBadGovernance protests held from August 1 to 10.

According to the organisers, the protest was sparked by the government’s failure to address key issues such as rising hunger, inflation, insecurity, wasteful government spending, electoral reforms, and the need for improved human capital development.

See photos from the protest: