CIVICUS discusses protests in Nigeria with youth activist Hassan Nurudeen. Hassan is program manager at Hope Behind Bars Africa, a civil society organisation (CSO) seeking to mitigate human rights abuses in the criminal justice system, reduce unjust imprisonment and improve the lives of people jailed for socio-economic reasons.
Hundreds of thousands of people recently took to the streets of Nigeria’s major cities, including Abuja and Lagos, to protest against the rising cost of living and poor governance. President Bola Tinubu, in office since May 2023, defended his economic policies, including cutting petrol and electricity subsidies and devaluing the naira, Nigeria’s currency, as necessary measures despite rising inflation. Protests subsided after the government imposed curfews in several northern states and ordered a deadly police crackdown. Amnesty International reported that at least 22 protesters were killed.
Why did protests erupt in Nigeria?
A 10-day protest was announced in July in response to economic hardship, government mismanagement and bad governance. Many people are frustrated by the government’s policies and lavish spending, which they see as out of touch with their daily realities. While people are struggling to make ends meet, the government bought a new plane and a yacht for the president, made extravagant renovations to the vice president’s palace and got luxurious cars for members of parliament. Public anger was further fuelled by the government’s attempts to discourage the protests, including by using religious and tribal rhetoric.
The protest wasn’t organised by any particular group, but the protesters were mainly young people, long the target of police brutality and the protagonists of the 2020 #EndSARS movement that protested against police violence. Since then, many Nigerians have connected the dots between politics, policy and quality of life. The 2023 general election brought further discontent. On his first day in office, the new president announced the removal of fuel subsidies. This led to a rapid devaluation of the naira and a sharp rise in the cost of living, which hit middle class people hard.
How has the government responded to the protests?
The government has mainly avoided addressing the core issues that sparked the protests, such as inflation, insecurity and inequality. Its initial response was to gaslight the public, suggesting that protest wasn’t an option and trying to exploit ethnic and social divisions. In Lagos, for example, I saw firsthand organised campaigns against the protests, with threats of violence against those who dared to participate. The government also tried to co-opt religious groups and other organisations to discourage participation.
Instead of addressing the root causes of the protests, the government resorted to symbolic gestures such as distributing rice across the country, a temporary solution at best, but not an adequate response. It wasn’t until the fourth day of the protests that the president made a speech, and even then it was underwhelming and failed to address the protesters’ main concerns. It was the only positive step, but unfortunately it didn’t go very far.
In addition, the government allowed criminal elements to infiltrate peaceful protests and create chaos as a pretext for imposing curfews . This was a clear strategy to discredit the movement and undermine genuine dissent.
What role has social media played in the protests?
Social media has been a game changer in Nigeria, particularly for holding the government to account. It has become a key tool for people and CSOs to discuss issues, organise campaigns and mobilise support. During the recent protests, social media has been not just a platform but also a battleground where proponents and opponents have clashed with their arguments and evidence.
Twitter, or X, has been particularly crucial, allowing for real-time discussion and helping to amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard. Without social media, the government would likely be more repressive, as there would be fewer channels for people to express their dissatisfaction and organise collectively.
The government’s repeated attempts to pass an anti-social media bill to restrict its use is another sign of the power of these platforms. Despite these efforts, social media remains a powerful tool for advocacy and accountability. Even when people can’t physically attend protests, the online community ensures their voices are still heard, putting pressure on the government to address the issues at hand.
What international support is Nigerian civil society receiving and what further support is needed?
When the protests began, many CSOs, including Hope Behind Bars Africa , sprang into action. We anticipated that arrests were likely, so we set up a hotline for people to call if they were detained during protests and expanded our network of lawyers to ensure a wide reach across the country.
We worked with media organisations covering the protests and arrests to ensure those detained didn’t go unnoticed. CSOs also issued statements condemning the government’s actions and worked tirelessly to protect the rights of protesters and press the government to listen to people’s demands.
But we still need help from international partners to ensure those arrested during the protests are released or given a fair trial. Some people have been in prison without charge since the 2020 protests. To prevent this, we want to do a thorough review of all Nigerian prisons.
We also need the international community to put pressure on the Nigerian government to uphold democratic principles. Nigeria is a regional power in West Africa, and instability here can have far-reaching consequences. The government must respect people’s right to protest and listen to our demands.
Civic space in the Nigeria is rated ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor . Get in touch with Hope Behind Bars Africa through its website or Instagram and Facebook pages, and follow @hopebehindbar on Twitter.
