Nationwide Protest: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has called for dialogue and an immediate end to the nationwide protests that have rocked the nation since Thursday.

The President, in a nationwide address on Sunday, said his administration was ready to listen and address the concerns of protesters. He affirmed that he had heard their calls “loud and clear”.

Tinubu also commiserated with the families of Nigerians who died during clashes with security forces and those who lost property to lootings.

“I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity,” he said.

He added that the country required all hands on deck and needed all citizens, regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping its common destiny.

The 10-day planned protest, which began on Thursday primarily against the rising cost of living and hunger, deteriorated into violence, destruction of property and loss of lives in many parts of the nation.

The PUNCH reported that at least 17 persons died in the “days of rage” protests.

Amid the mayhem, some entities took to their social media handles to ask all Igbos to vacate Lagos State or face massive protests slated for August 20 -30, 2024.

The authors of the post also ordered all indigenes of the South-West in the South-Eastern region of the country to return home before the planned protests.

But Tinubu responded, “To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.

“Our democracy progresses when the constitutional rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected.”

The President told Nigerians, “I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent protests unleashed in some of our states. Notably among the protesters were young Nigerians who desired a better and more progressive country where their dreams, hopes, and personal aspirations would be fulfilled.

“I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them.

“I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction. As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.”

To the protesters, he said, “I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.

“But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter future where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.

“Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your country or tell you that your government does not care about you.”

He assured citizens that although there had been many dashed hopes in the past, the country was in a new era of Renewed Hope.

“We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy,” Tinubu promised.

Tinubu defended his decision to remove petrol subsidies, saying, “These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well.”

“I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people – good governance for that matter.”

President Tinubu called for patience, saying the economy was recovering.

He argued that aggregate government revenues had more than doubled, hitting over N9.1tn in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, due to efforts to block leakages, introduce automation, and mobilise funding creatively without additional burden on the people.

He maintained that productivity was gradually increasing in the non-oil sector, reaching new levels and taking advantage of the opportunities in the current economic ambience.

Therefore, President Tinubu called for patience, saying, “The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen”.

681 protesters arrested, seven killed – Police

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force on Saturday said a total of 681 protesters suspected to be hoodlums were arrested for committing various offences between Thursday and Friday.

The Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement, said seven others were killed.

This was in response to a report released by Amnesty International recently, which accused security agencies of killing 13 protesters on the first day of the protest.

Boy shot in Abuja

But during day 3 of the protest on Saturday, a young boy was allegedly killed by police officers in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory during the #EndBadGovernance protest in the city.

Eyewitnesses said the victim was shot at close range around the Zenith Bank area of Kubwa as the protest turned violent.

As of the time of filing this report, the boy’s details could not be ascertained, but sources said he was not part of the protest.

The police, however, denied responsibility for the killing.