In a heartfelt televised address on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu reached out to Nigerians protesting against the current cost of living crisis, urging them to suspend their demonstrations and end the violence.
He acknowledged the pain and frustration that have driven thousands to the streets.
He emphasized that while the government is committed to listening and addressing citizens’ concerns, it is crucial to avoid letting violence and destruction tear the nation apart.
Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has implemented economic reforms aimed at reversing years of mismanagement, including the partial end to petrol and electricity subsidies and the devaluation of the naira.
Despite Tinubu’s call for peace and dialogue, many Nigerians, especially the youth, remain unconvinced.
Activists like Opeyemi Folarin have found the president’s speech lacking, describing it as “underwhelming” and critiquing Tinubu for not making any concessions.
The protests, which began on August 1, have seen people demanding a reduction in petrol prices and electricity tariffs among other grievances.
Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris reported from Lagos that the president’s address did not address the fundamental demand of the protesters: the reinstatement of fuel subsidies.
This omission has left many feeling desperate for relief, with protesters determined to continue their demonstrations until tangible government action is taken.
The situation has also drawn international attention, with Amnesty International accusing Nigerian security forces of killing at least 13 protesters.
The police, however, deny responsibility, claiming only seven deaths and accusing nearly 700 arrested demonstrators of “armed robbery, arson, mischief,” and property destruction.
Tinubu called on security operatives to maintain peace while adhering to human rights conventions, reiterating his government’s efforts to boost infrastructure spending, launch a student loan scheme, and build housing units across Nigeria’s 36 states.
Highlighting some progress, he noted that government revenues had more than doubled to 9.1 trillion naira ($5.55bn) in the first half of this year, with debt servicing costs reduced to 68 percent of revenue from 97 percent prior to his tenure.