Nigerians on Sunday refused President Bola Tinubu’s call for a suspension of protests against a cost of living crisis.
Protesters in the commercial city of Lagos and the capital city of Abuja said the president did not address their issues which include bringing back the subsidy and reducing the cost of education, and also failed to call for the arrest of the policemen who killed protesters in the last three days.
Amnesty International has said at least 13 people were killed in clashes with security forces on the first day of protests, police denied using excessive force and said seven people had died as of Saturday – four from an explosive device during a march in northeast Borno state, two who were hit by a car and another who was shot by a guard when protesters looted a shop.
In a televised broadcast, Tinubu said he was always open to dialogue.
Meanwhile, protesters in the commercial city of Lagos were chased by a group of men dressed in civilian clothes, while another was arrested.
But they remained resolute about their demands.
Protester, Opeyemi Folarin says: “Yeah, you saw the government thugs who came here to attack me, yeah you saw them, I tried to run. In front of the policemen there, that tells you that the policemen are not on their game, and it is a shame. Why do we have loads of policemen here? Police personnel here and they are not ready to safeguard our lives.”
Another protester, Ifeayo Oluwafemi says: “We are going nowhere, what the president said this morning means nothing, it means nothing.”
