Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff (CDS), Friday promised that the Nigerian army will take action if the ongoing protest escalates.
Musa disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists as regards the level of violet recorded so far in the country.
Since yesterday, Nigerians have been protesting against hardship, hunger, and other socio-economic stress in the country.
Taking advantage of the situation, hoodlums on Thursday hijacked the protest to vandalized and loot people’s properties.
Reacting to the situation Musa said that the military is at alert and fully prepared to take action if the protest escalates.
Recall that the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has commended the National Council for Civil Society of Nigeria for not participating in the ongoing protests.
He highlighted the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s numerous initiatives that will turn the economy around for the benefit of all Nigerians.
“He is just one year in office and he has done very well and I know that with these initiatives, we will soon start to see the positive results.”
Millions of Nigerians took to the streets on Thursday to protest the prevailing hunger and abuse of power in the country. At least 13 people were shot dead by police across the country on the first day, according to Amnesty International.
Demonstrations continue on Friday morning in Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, Oyo, Ogun, Rivers and other states.
Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with skyrocketing inflation, a national currency in free-fall and millions of people struggling to buy food. Only two years ago Africa’s biggest economy, Nigeria is projected to drop to fourth place this year.
The pain is widespread. Unions strike to protest salaries of around $20 a month. People die in stampedes, desperate for free sacks of rice. Hospitals are overrun with women wracked by spasms from calcium deficiencies.
Although President Bola Tinubu increased the minimum wage — after strike action and months-long negotiations with labour unions — from N30,000 to N70,000, his government has increased spending for officials at a time of nationwide starvation.
For workers earning the new N70,000, or $43, per month minimum wage, capricious inflation and naira value have inflicted too much damage for the changes to make any difference in their lives.
The crisis is largely believed to be rooted in two major changes implemented by Mr Tinubu, elected 14 months ago: the partial removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the currency, which together have caused major price rises.
A nation of entrepreneurs, Nigeria’s more than 200 million citizens are skilled at managing in tough circumstances, without the services states usually provide. They generate their own electricity and source their own water. They take up arms and defend their communities when the armed forces cannot. They negotiate with armed kidnappers when family members are abducted.
But right now, their resourcefulness is being stretched to the limit.
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