On Friday, protesters in Lagos participated in a candlelit procession to honor those who lost their lives during recent demonstrations. The protests, driven by the hashtag #EndBadGovernance, spotlight Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis, allegations of resource mismanagement, and widespread corruption in Africa’s most populous country.
According to Amnesty International, 22 protesters have been killed across six states, based on witness and family accounts, along with the organization’s own verification efforts. Demonstrators are calling for accountability and a democratic investigation into the fatalities and the crackdown on protests.
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“All those who are responsible for these killings must be arrested and tried. We are calling for a democratic public probe into the killings and the clampdown across the country,” said protester Hassan Taiwo Soweto.
Despite the significant human cost, some protesters believe the demonstrations have made an impact. “By and large, it has been a success,” protester Gideon Adeyeni told the Associated Press. “We have made our demands known, we have expressed our grievances. Though none of our demands have been met, the struggle will continue until we achieve victory,” he added.
The cost-of-living crisis, driven by surging inflation at a 28-year high and government economic policies aimed at saving money and attracting investment, has been a central issue in the protests.
