The United Nations (UN) Department of Safety and Security has issued a warning about the potential for violence in Nigeria as various groups prepare for a series of nationwide protests.
Scheduled to occur from August 1 to 10, these protests, known as the “10 Days of Rage,” aim to address the country’s severe economic hardship and soaring cost of living.
In a threat and risk assessment dated July 19, the UN expressed significant concerns about the possibility of these protests being hijacked by groups with ulterior motives, potentially leading to widespread violence.
The assessment draws parallels to previous incidents of civil unrest in Nigeria, noting that similar protests have escalated in the past.
“Recall that in the 13–16 February 2023 interval, tensions generated by the paucity of new Naira currency (financial crisis) reached high levels amongst the civilian population, which materialised in violent protests in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria, in the states of Akwa Ibom, Delta, Edo, Imo, Kwara, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, and Rivers,” the threat and risk assessment states.
“During the civil unrest in the different states, several bank branches and ATM points were vandalized, and major roads were blocked.”
The assessment further warned that the high expected turnout for the “10 Days of Rage” protest could lead to large-scale disruptions in economic and social activities across the country.
The threat assessment also highlighted the potential for confrontations between groups supporting the government and those opposing its policies.
Such clashes could occur from the end of July through mid-August. While some organizations and leaders of ethnic groups, particularly in the South-South and South-East regions, have discouraged participation in the protests, the risk of these events being hijacked by other interest groups remains high.
One such organization, Ọhanaeze Ndigbo, a socio-cultural group representing the interests of Igbos, has urged people to avoid participating in the protests.
“This highlights the possibility of the events being hijacked by other interest groups/detractors, thus complicating the security landscape of different areas,” the UN noted.
The protests are driven by demands to reverse several policies implemented by President Bola Tinubu, which are believed to have exacerbated the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
Key demands include the reinstatement of petrol and tertiary education subsidies, restoration of affordable electricity tariffs, and reduction of import duties to pre-crisis levels.
Protesters are also calling for a state of emergency on inflation, greater transparency in public administration, public disclosure, and reduction of political office holders’ salaries and allowances, and judicial system reforms.
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