A group of Nigerians have announced plans to stage demonstrations on Tuesday, October 1, coinciding with the country’s 64th independence anniversary.
The protests, known as #FearlessOctober1, are intended to take place nationwide to demand the reinstatement of fuel subsidies and address other public grievances.
Juwon Sanyaolu, the National Coordinator of the Nigerian Youth Movement, stated that the police have been duly informed about the scheduled protests.
Police have been mobilised in response to the planned protests, with orders from Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to protect strategic state facilities from potential damage. Egbetokun has appealed to the protest organisers to reconsider their decision.
Nigeria is currently facing a challenging cost-of-living crisis due to inflation, a weakening national currency, and the removal of fuel subsidies.
President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to be patient with his administration’s economic policies, assuring they will yield positive results soon.
Insecurity continues to pose a significant challenge for the government, with incidents of kidnapping for ransom and insurgent attacks on the rise.
The recent protests in Nigeria in early August resulted in at least 13 fatalities, with Amnesty International estimating a higher death toll of over 21. Numerous individuals were detained during the demonstrations, and many are currently facing legal proceedings.