Nigeria’s Tinubu calls for end to protests over economic hardship | Politics News

Protesters demand faster reforms and government action to ease the pain amid the reforms carried out by the new president.

President Bola Tinubu told Nigerians protesting the cost of living crisis that he “heard” them as he called for a halt to demonstrations and an end to “bloodshed”, in his first public comments since protests erupted last week .

In his televised speech on Sunday, Tinubu called for an end to violence in several states since the protests began, saying he was always open to dialogue.

Human rights group Amnesty International has accused security forces of killing at least 13 protesters, while police say seven people died and deny responsibility.

“My dear Nigerians, especially our youths, I hear you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration driving these protests and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and responding to the concerns of our citizens,” said Tinubu.

“But we must not allow violence and destruction to destroy our nation,” he added.

In office since May 2023, Tinubu defended his economic reforms, which included the partial end of gasoline and electricity subsidies and the devaluation of the naira, necessary to reverse years of economic mismanagement.

Thousands of people began taking to the streets on August 1st to protest government policies and the high cost of living. They also mobilized online to demand a reduction in gasoline prices and electricity tariffs, among several demands.

Reacting to Tinubu’s speech, Lagos-based activist Opeyemi Folarin said the speech was “disheartening”.

“If he was willing to dialogue, he should have made a concession,” he told Al Jazeera, adding that the protesters were determined to continue until the government met their demands.

“It’s non-negotiable.”

Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris, reporting from a small protest in Lagos, said that although Tinubu’s government is making reforms a centerpiece of his government, the president in his speech “failed to meet the protesters’ fundamental demand”, in particularly the reinstatement of fuel subsidies.

“People are really desperate for relief and that is why they will continue to demand faster reforms and government action to ease the pain,” he said.

Police in Nigeria said they arrested nearly 700 people in the first two days of the protests, charging them with “armed robbery, arson, mischief” and destruction of property.

Amnesty urged police to release protesters and refrain from firing live rounds to disperse crowds.

On Friday, it said that “security personnel at sites where lives were lost deliberately used tactics designed to kill while dealing with gatherings of people protesting hunger and deep poverty.”

In his speech, Tinubu said: “Security agents must continue to maintain peace, law and order in our country by following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory.”

He also said the government was increasing spending on infrastructure projects, started a loan scheme for university students and was building thousands of housing units across Nigeria’s 36 states.

Government revenues more than doubled to 9.1 billion naira ($5.55 billion) in the first half of this year, while 68 percent of revenues have now gone to debt servicing, down from 97 percent before of Tinubu taking office in May last year.