Today na di fifth day of di protests in Nigeria.
For di southern states of Nigeria, di protests don happun relatively peacefully without any wahala. But for some northern states, di peaceful protests turn to violence.
States like Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina, Plateau, Borno, and Yobe don put curfew becos reports show say violence don happun, wey lead to loss of lives and property.
For Kano, police say dem arrest more dan 326 hoodlums wey destroy property or thief items.
Some protest leaders dey claim say some pipo plan to scatter di protests by bringing thugs to make dem no allow dem protest peacefully.
Sani Ibrahim Narogo, wey be di deputy coordinator of di Joint Action Front, tell BBC Pidgin say befor dem start dia peaceful protest for Kano, dem get permission from security agencies wey promise to protect dem during di protest.
E tok say dem choose House of Murtala for Kano as dia protest location.
But wen di protest start, we see pipo wey no look familiar wey look like thugs wey no be part of our group.
“Wen we start di protest for Murtala House for Kano, di Govnor of Kano, Abba Kabir Yusuf, invite us go goment house. As we dey waka go dia, I begin see pipo wey no look familiar, pipo wey look like thugs, wey I sure say na oda political parties hire dem make dem no allow us protest peacefully.”
“I see dem carry weapon come protest, wey no be our way of protest sake of say we don do protest many times. We believe say some pipo sponsor dem to spoil our protest.” Im tok.
Salim Ahmed Abubakar, wey join di protest on Thursday, tok say, “E dey necessary for every Nigerians to protest sake of eviriting don dey expensive. Last year, I buy one mudu of beans for 1,500 Naira, but now na 6,000 Naira e dey cost, wey no dey fair.”
Why di protests become violent?
Security expert Dr. Kabiru Adamu tok say about three to four reasons na im be reason why di protests for di north fit don turn violent.
E mention poverty, security challenges, economic crisis, drug abuse, and climate change as di main causes of di violence. Even though say di southern part of Nigeria get di same problems, but e say dis issues dey worse for di north.
“Wen dem come into power for May 2023, dem remove fuel subsidy, devalue di naira, and introduce many policies, including electricity tariff policy and taxation, wey increase di cost of living, including food inflation wey rise by about 40%.”
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“Dis one make am say di average Nigerian no fit afford food, wey worse for di north like Sokoto, wia di poverty rate dey about 90%, meaning nine out of ten pipo dey live below di poverty level. E get big impact on making di protests turn violent sake of say pipo dey vex well well.” Im tok
E add say anoda reason pipo react violently na di security challenges, like kidnappings and killings for di north.
“Kidnapping for ransom dey about 80% for di northern part of di kontri, e dey caused by bandits and oda criminal gangs wey dey operate for di region, wey contribute well-well to dis issue.”
“Di insecurity put weapons for pipo hands, so anytime dem get chance, dem go come out and use dem.”
Sulaiman add say, “Pipo dey vex wit di goment sake of say dem no fit access dia farms.”
E also tok say climate change and drug abuse get big impact, wey drive more poverty for di north.
Kabiru Sulaiman say dis tins na di major tins wey dey vex northern Nigerian pipo wey make dem angry and make di protest become violent.
To address dis issues, di president need to siddon wit di govnors and look dem eye to eye ask dem wetin dem don do to reduce di high cost of living for dia people wit wetin im give dem.
Di president also need to tink of new policies to bring down food prices so di average Nigerian fit afford meals.
On Sunday, August 4, 2024, Nigeria President Tinubu make nationwide broadcast to address Nigerians. Plenty pipo tok say dem no happy wit im speech as im no touch on di koko of mata wey make pipo enter streets.
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