The United States Embassy in Nigeria has asked some of its staff members to stay away from work on the first two days of the planned ten-day anti-hunger protest in Nigeria.
This followed the insistence by the organisers of the protests to go ahead with them.
The protests are scheduled to begin on Thursday, August 1, 2024. They will end on August 10, 2024.
The U.S. Embassy Abuja and U.S. Consulate General Lagos, in an emergency advisory issued on Wednesday night, asked essential staff members to operate only on Thursday August 1, 2024, and on Friday August 2, 2024.
Similarly, non-essential staff members were advised to remain at home to avoid any disruptions that might result from the protests.
The advisory said; “Media reports indicate that protesters are expected to begin gathering at Eagles Square in Abuja mid to late morning. In Lagos, protests may start as early as 8:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. and primary locations have been identified as Alausa Park, Freedom Park, and Peace Park.
“Additional possible protest sites in Lagos include Nahco Bus Stop (Airport Road), Marwa Bus Stop (Lekki-Epe Expressway), and Ikeja “Under the Bridge” (Intersection of Obafemi Awolowo and Allen Avenue).
“However, protests may occur at other times and locations in Abuja and Lagos, as well as in other cities and population centres in Nigeria over the coming days.
“Based on past occurrences, protests may involve roadblocks, checkpoints, traffic congestion, and physical confrontations.
“There is a risk of terror attacks in Nigeria and terrorist groups may take advantage of opportunities created during the potential nationwide protests to conduct attacks.
“Actions to take: Avoid the areas of the protest; Avoid crowds; Exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests; Monitor local media for updates; Be aware of your surroundings; Keep a low profile;Verify flight schedules with your airline, if you have travel plans; Review your personal security plans and keep your cell phone charged in case of emergency; and Carry proper identification.”
Ahead of the protest, cost of living has continued to rise in Nigeria following the removal of fuel subsidy and stoppage of foreign exchange control by President Bola Tinubu shortly after his inauguration on May 29, 2023.
According to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), inflation rose to record levels at 34.19 percent in June, with food inflation skyrocketing to over 40.87 percent within the same period under review.
Meanwhile, as tension over the protest continues to rise, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), military and the Department of State Services (DSS) have cautioned organisers to refrain from allowing their action degenerate into chaos and destruction as it happened in Kenya recently.
Also, many religious leaders, royal fathers, politicians and well-meaning Nigerians have not relented in urging the youths to shelve the planned rallies, expressing fears that the planned protest might likely go the same way as the EndSARS demonstrations of October 2020.
