Protesters assembled at the Ikeja Underbridge in Lagos State on Tuesday morning as Nigeria marks its 2024 Independence Day. The demonstration is being closely monitored by a significant security presence, including police officers, members of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and officials from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Leading the police contingent at the protest site is the state Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola. Protesters are chanting solidarity songs and holding placards with various messages, including “Reverse electricity tariff now,” “End all attacks on democratic rights,” “Reduce petrol price to N197 per litre; end scarcity,” and “Profit soars while people suffer.”
The protest is spearheaded by several civil society organizations, including the Take It Back Movement, the Education Rights Campaign, the Coalition for Revolution, and the Socialist Workers League. Dubbed the #FearlessOctober1, this demonstration marks the second instance in two months that Nigerians have taken to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with ongoing hardships in the country.
Organizers of the protest state that the event is a continuation of the #EndBadGovernance protests that occurred from August 1 to 10. They assert that the latest demonstration is a response to the Federal Government’s failure to address their demands, which include rising food costs, insecurity, government wastefulness, calls for electoral reforms, and improved human capital development.
