The organisers have shunned appeals by the Nigerian government not to hold the protests.
Thousands of Nigerians are expected to commence ten days of nationwide protests today.
The organisers, many of them young people, say they are frustrated by the country's economic conditions and have vowed "days of rage" in demonstrations.
With momentum soaring on and offline, the Nigerian government fears a replay of the October 2020 #EndSARS protest which started peacefully but turned violent.
President Bola Tinubu has said he recognises the right to peaceful protests. Still, his administration is wary of the "dangers" associated with demonstrations that are "vulnerable" to being hijacked by criminals.
While the president has begged the youth to shelve the protest, some senior administration officials labelled the protests as unwarranted and politically motivated.
Organisers of the protests are calling for the reversal of the fuel price hike, the restoration of affordable electricity tariffs, and the reduction of import duties to their previous rates.
The groups also demand the reversal of many institutions' hikes in tertiary education fees. They are also demanding full transparency and accountability in governance, including the public disclosure and reduction of public officials' salaries and allowances and an emergency fund to support SMEs.
The State Security Service (SSS) alleged that the protests were intended to undermine the government and plunge the country into chaos. Also, the Nigerian Army warned that the protests could lead to anarchy and has promised to take proactive measures to maintain control.
The stance of Nigerian government officials and security agencies regarding the planned nationwide protests has raised serious concerns.
Activists said the officials' rhetorics suggest a troubling readiness to stifle dissent, heightening fears of a violent crackdown.
PREMIUM TIMES brings you live updates here:
8:20 a.m: Abuja roads are deserted with only a few cars plying the always-busy Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, popularly known as Airport Road.
8:24 a.m: A police van is seen at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja. There are no protesters at the stadium.
8:31 a.m: Armoured Personnel Carrier with soldiers and police operatives seen protect the entry into the Three-Arms Zone. The zone is where the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the Aso Villa are located.
8:48 AM - There is a heavy presence of military vehicles at the Three Arms Zone at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.
Some protesters are gathered at the entrance of the MKO Abiola stadium in Abuja singing anti-government songs.
Security operatives are present.
Dozens of protesters are gathered at the Ikeja underbridge in Lagos. They are singing and dancing and are expected to march from there to other parts of Ikeja.
8:31 am: There are no protesters at the Eagles Square, a public venue the government earlier said would not be made available to protesters. There was, however, a heavy presence of soldiers and police officers at the venue.
At 9 o’clock, Abuja protesters at the entrance of the MKO Abiola stadium were told by the police to go inside. They refused, saying the road was a public road and they were going to stay there to continue their protest.
“I didn’t say you shouldn’t protest but carry all yourselves inside there,” the head of the police team said
The police chief said there is a court order that the Abuja protest be held inside the stadium, and the protesters are violating it.
Take It Back Movement led by lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju are carrying out the protest at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
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The FCT Police Commissioner, Ben Igwe, said the protesters are disobeying court orders that they should protest inside the stadium and not outside. The protesters disagree
Many offices in the Abuja city centre, like Wuse, Wuse 2, and Central Area, are shut, and the streets are empty. Residents appear to be uncertain of how the protests will proceed and have chosen to stay at home. The entrances to the city centre, like Berger and AYA, are also heavily militarized with armed police officers and soldiers.
9:35 a.m: ‘No Protest’ protesters arrive in three long buses.
They carried No protest placards written on cardboards.
9:45 am: In Abuja, popular protest centres, like the Eagle Square and Unity Fountain, have been blocked by security operatives and heavily militarised. There are no protesters there. The main protest is at the MKO Abuja stadium where protesters have rejected the police directive to move into the stadium.
