13 people killed as Nigerians protest high cost of living: ‘we are hungry’
- Mobilisation of protests against policies that have driven inflation to a near three-decade high began on social media at least a month ago
A clampdown by Nigerian security forces on protests against the high cost of living in Africa’s most-populous nation left at least 13 people dead. The nation’s bonds sank.
Nigerians chanting “we are hungry” marched through the streets of several cities on Thursday. Three states, Kano, Borno and Yobe, all in the northern parts of the country, imposed a 24-hour curfew after the protests turned violent.
The “violent crackdown on peaceful protesters is unjustified and unacceptable”, Amnesty International said in a statement on Friday. It called for an investigation into the killings.
The mobilisation of demonstrations against government policies that have driven inflation to a near three-decade high began on social media at least a month ago, with organisers calling for 10 days of protests from August 1 to 10.
The government tried to stop the protests through court orders and warnings by the security agencies, as well as pleading with traditional and religious leaders to urge their followers not join the planned demonstrations.