police officers fired tear gas at protesters during the “Fearless In October” protest, held to oppose bad governance in the nation’s capital, Abuja. The demonstrators, waving Nigerian flags and carrying banners with messages such as “End Bad Governance,” “Diaspora Voting,” and “End High Living Costs,” had gathered at the Utako area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before being dispersed by law enforcement.
The October 1 protest, heavily promoted on social media under the hashtag #FearlessInOctober, followed closely behind the August #EndBadGovernance protests. Both movements, led by disillusioned youth, have similar demands, including a reversal of the government’s removal of petrol subsidies and an increase in electricity tariffs.
Criticism has mounted against President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates, which many Nigerians blame for unprecedented inflation and soaring living costs. Since Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, energy costs have more than tripled, with petrol prices surging from N200 to over N1,000 per litre and electricity tariffs quadrupling. These increases have hit the manufacturing sector hard and put significant pressure on household budgets.
In his Independence Day address, coinciding with the country’s 64th anniversary, President Tinubu appealed for patience, acknowledging the economic difficulties while assuring Nigerians that his administration is working to mitigate the rising cost of living. Tinubu expressed sympathy for the hardship caused by his reforms, emphasizing that measures are being implemented to ease the burden on ordinary citizens.
