Nigeria: Ignore Claims That #EndBadGovernance Protests Have Been Moved to Nigeria's Independence Day

6 August 2024
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Catherine Adeniyi

Ignore claims that #EndBadGovernance protests have been moved to Nigeria's Independence Day

IN SHORT: Nigerians began nationwide protests against economic hardship on 1 August 2024, but online claims that the protests have been moved to the country's Independence Day on 1 October are false.

Nigerians began nationwide demonstrations against the country's economic woes on 1 August, widely known as "10 days of rage" and tagged #EndBadGovernance on social media.

The first day of protests was marred by violence, looting and fatalities in the north of the country. In the south, the protests were peaceful.

However, messages posted on Facebook in Nigeria claim that the protest has been postponed to 1 October due to security concerns.

One message reads: "Protest postponed to OCTOBER 1." Attached to the post is a screenshot of a statement supposedly from the leaders of the "Take It Back Movement", announcing the postponement.

The first of October is an important date in Nigerian history, marking the country's independence from British colonial rule in 1960.

The claim appeared on Facebook here and here. (See other instances of the claim at the end of this report.)

But have the protests been postponed? We checked.

Protests continue

Several local news outlets reported that protests continued beyond 1 August in several states, particularly in the northern part of the country.

A similar claim that the protest had been postponed was denied by Omoyele Sowore, a popular Nigerian activist and one of the leaders of the protest.

Sowore also shared several photos and videos from the second day of the protest on his Instagram page, and in one of the videos we spotted a banner with the words "Take It Back Movement".

We also visited the website mentioned in the statement posted on Facebook. However, we could not find the statement or anything about a postponement of the protests.

No credible media organisation has reported that the protests have been postponed.

Protests were still continuing on 5 August in various parts of the country, despite the president's call on 4 August for a halt to the demonstrations.

The false claim also appeared here, here, here and here.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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