Thousands of Nigerians have taken to the streets in Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, in a 10-day protest across cities to demand an end to what they describe as bad governance, unemployment, high cost of living, and other pressing issues.
The protesters converged around 8 AM local time, chanting solidarity songs and holding placards calling for change, despite the government’s last-minute attempts to prevent the demonstration.
Reporters from our partner station in Nigeria, Channels Television, have been monitoring the situation.
Protesters have been prevented from reaching the main square, with authorities using tear gas to disperse the crowds. They are not being allowed to protest freely and have been stopped from moving forward.
One protester expressed his frustration, saying, "They have stopped us at the National Assembly junction. Nobody is allowed to go beyond this point. We are heading towards the front where our voices will be heard, but they are shooting tear gas at us, which is awful. We find ourselves in a country where everyone does what they like, and we want to change the narrative today. There is no going back."
Another protester added, “No matter how the country is favoring you now, if the governance is not improved, no matter how flourishing your business is, it will fail."
Credit: myjoyonline.com