Sundiata Post – West African bloc ECOWAS has urged #EndBadGovernance protesters in Nigeria to heed President Bola Tinubu’s call for dialogue.
In a statement on Monday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission “deeply regrets reports of violence in the course of the protests and the unfortunate death of some protesters as well as alleged looting and destruction of public and private properties”.
“The Commission extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and sympathises with the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over the losses.”
The regional bloc recognised the right of citizens to peaceful protests, as guaranteed by the 2001 ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
“The Commission welcomes the State of the Nation address of 4th August 2024 by H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and urges the protesters and all stakeholders to heed the President’s call for inclusive dialogue for the resolution of all grievances and for the preservation of peace and security in Nigeria and the ECOWAS region at large.”
Protesters’ Demands
On Sunday, Tinubu addressed defiant youths who have taken to the streets since Thursday to express their displeasure over the wobbling economy and the attendant hardship in the country.
The President urged the young demonstrators to suspend the rallies and embrace dialogue but the protesters insisted that the ex-Lagos governor who took over power in May 2023 has not addressed their demands.
Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
Propagated on social media, the #EndBadGovernance protests against economic hardship planned for 10 days entered its third day on Saturday as resilient youths pushed on, insisting that Tinubu meets their demands.
Some of the protesters’ demands include the restoration of petrol subsidies and the forex regime. They also want the government to address food shortages, unemployment, and the wasteful spending of those in power. Other demands are a reduction of the President’s cabinet and general cost of governance, immediate reforms of the electoral umpire INEC and anti-graft agency EFCC with renewed vigour in the fight against corrupt politicians.
The protests turned awry in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Jigawa, Nasarawa and other states where rampaging hoodlums took advantage of the situation and burned vehicles, and looted warehouses and private stores. Police said seven persons died during incidents around the protests but denied that security agents killed any of the victims.
Policemen were seen dispersing protesters using tear gas, even as civil society organisations condemned the action of the police.
