Tinubu appeals to Nigerians to shelve planned hardship protest,

Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, who spoke to selected State House reporters following a meeting with the President today, stated that Tinubu encouraged the protest organizers to delay their plans and wait for the government’s response to their grievances.

“The President believes there is no need for the planned protest. He has requested that they set aside this plan and await the government’s reply to their concerns,” the minister explained.

This protest, aimed at addressing economic hardship, has gained traction on social media and is set to take place across all states and in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organizers of the protest remain unidentified.

In recent months, the prices of food and essential items have skyrocketed, leading Nigerians to grapple with one of the country’s worst inflation and economic crises, triggered by the government’s dual policies of removing petrol subsidies and unifying foreign exchange rates.

The Federal Government, alongside the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigeria Police Force, and the House of Representatives, has issued warnings against the planned demonstration.

Additionally, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and troubled Senator Ali Ndume have called on the President to address the concerns of the dissatisfied individuals, who are mostly youths.

Meanwhile, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga cautioned on Saturday that if the protest goes ahead, it could lead to the destruction of property similar to what occurred during the EndSARS protest against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in October 2020.