Violent clashes have erupted in Abuja and Lagos as protesters demand action over poverty and hardship.
Teargas has been fired at demonstrators, who were “peacefully” protesting against the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The protesters, who were chanting solidarity songs and holding placards, were forced to flee for safety in the Jabi and Utako areas of Abuja.
In Lagos, a security presence is in place, with police officers, members of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and officials from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) all on the scene.
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The protest, organized under the banner #FearlessOctober1, is taking place on Nigeria’s 2024 Independence Day, and is the second large-scale protest in two months.
Civil society groups, including the Take It Back Movement, the Education Rights Campaign, the Coalition for Revolution, and the Socialist Workers League, are leading the protest.
The protesters are demanding action on a range of issues, including reducing the price of petrol, ending scarcity, and reversing the electricity tariff.
They are also calling for an end to attacks on democratic rights and for profit-sharing to be more equitable.
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