13 People Reportedly Killed, Hundreds Arrested In Nigeria During Protests Over Economic Crisis

At least 13 People were killed during violent mass protests in Nigeria against the country’s economic crisis, a rights group reported on Friday.

Authorities confirmed that four people were killed by a bomb and that hundreds of protesters were arrested, leading to curfews in several states.

Amnesty International’s Nigeria director, Isa Sanusi, said they verified the deaths through witnesses, victims’ families, and lawyers.

Over 300 protesters were arrested, and curfews were imposed in the northern states of Kano and Katsina after government and public properties were looted, according to Nigerian police.

One police officer was killed, and several others were injured.

The protests, which started on August 1, were primarily about food shortages and alleged bad governance.

Nigeria’s public officials are often accused of corruption and are among the highest paid in Africa, while the country has some of the world’s poorest and hungriest people, despite being a top oil producer.

Protesters carried placards, bells, and Nigeria’s green-and-white flag as they chanted songs and listed their demands.

They called for the reinstatement of gas and electricity subsidies, which were removed as part of government reforms to boost the economy, causing prices to rise across the board.

KanyiDaily recalls that Nigerian singer, Portable stirred controversy on social media after he described #EndBadGovernance protesters as poor and lazy.