Nigeria’s ‘Cost of Living’ Protests Turn Deadly
Curfews, Riots and Government Crackdowns — How does It affect your wallet?
The cost of living has Nigerians paying with their lives
Nigeria is currently a comedy show, but not the amusing type. With the high cost of living, the citizens are protesting and the government is not taking much action, fr. Unless you consider enforcing curfews and using hot water on people as ‘a lot.’ It’s so funny there!
Have you ever experienced the feeling of watching your grocery bills steadily increase?
Now, try to picture that multiplied by a hundred and you might begin to understand the challenges Nigerians are facing at the moment.
24-Hour Curfew, and You’re not invited
Here’s what’s happening:
The governments of Kano, Jigawa, Yobe, and Katsina have come to the conclusion that the most effective approach to dealing with the issue of people being upset about hunger is to impose a lockdown. Yes, they have implemented a 24-hour curfew, because there’s no better way to show concern for your difficulties than by controlling grown-ups like children with a bedtime. Just to be prepared in case they were considering leaving their residences and participating in those bothersome demonstrations.
For what reason?
They are against you participating in those demonstrations focused on advocating for accessible food. Yeah, it feels as though they’re also silencing you.
A government spokesperson said (probably)
“We just want them to stay safe, tucked in their beds, dreaming of lower prices. Protesting is such a hassle, isn’t it? Much better to just sleep through this whole thing.”
Police force is more Trigger-Happy than a comedian at an open mic night
Speaking of comedy, let’s also discuss the Nigerian police force.
It appears they have drawn inspiration from dark comedy, as they used live ammunition, tear gas, and hot water on the protesters. It’s as if they are trying out for a scene in an action film but this is not a Hollywood stage and those bullets are real ffs.
“We’re simply attempting to separate them”
declared an officer.
Throwing a smoke bomb at the crowd of protesters, Moreover, tear gas can also serve as a spa treatment. It’s comparable to getting two items for the price of one.
The excited reaction resulted in the deaths of three individuals and numerous injuries to the others. But at least they made some effort.
“We’re Just Taking What the Government Isn’t Giving Us. With Interest”
We should talk about the looters as a riot wouldn’t be complete without some stealing, innit?
These individuals exploited the disorder to heist a warehouse close to the residence of the Kano governor by stealing groundnut oil and other items.
When questioned about their actions, a looter responded,
“If the government won’t help, you have to help yourself.”
It’s similar to the famous quote, ‘Don’t inquire about what your country can provide for you, instead consider what you can acquire from your country’s storage facilities.’
13 Protesters Were Killed, But at Least It’s Not an Even Dozen
Amnesty International has verified that security forces killed 13 protesters on the initial day of demonstrations. Yes, it’s true, 13 lives were lost in an instant. A representative for the group stated,
“It’s an unfortunate figure, but we are thankful it’s not an even twelve. “Look on the bright side, folks!””
Bombing in Borno
A bombing in Borno state has resulted in the death of 16 individuals. No one has taken responsibility, but the blame is being directed towards Boko Haram by locals. What is a traditional riot without a well-known jihadist group showing up?
A nearby neighbor commented,
“Oh, Boko Haram, always the center of attention at gatherings.”
Can they not focus on their hobby of knitting and let amateurs handle the bombings?
Protests Spread Like Wildfire
Social media has had a significant impact on coordinating these protests, and it’s like the government’s worst fear. They are likely thinking,
“Excellent, now they can organize their complaints! “This is a public relations catastrophe!”
A government official, attempting to shape the story and stated,
“We support the utilization of social media, as long as it promotes positive messages, such as our greatness.” Any other information is simply falseeseseseshahahaha!”
Hungry Protesters
The protests also feature a memorable phrase,
“We are Hungry.”
It’s as if they are expressing, “we are just like you, we want food too!”
Since the elimination of fuel subsidies, prices have greatly increased, and it’s no longer just about refuelling the vehicle. It’s about being able to pay for essential items, such as cookies and cakes.
A protestor with a placard said,
“I’m so hungry I could eat a horse. Or a politician. Same difference, right?”
Reform or Revolt
Protesters want reforms, but it’s likely the government will just stick to their usual routine and disregard the demands. A protester showing some resignation commented,
“They will likely just pledge reforms and then rest.” “It’s the move they always rely on.”
“We Love to Blame Them, It’s Like Our National Pastime!”
Of course the authorities have their own interpretation on accusing ‘thugs’ and ‘hoodlums’ for the chaos. They seem to be following a pre-planned script. “Oh, those troublesome criminals” remarked a representative from the government, “they’re similar to the boogeyman constantly ready to be blamed.”
An worried individual exclaimed, “Criminals, troublemakers, delinquents, oh dear! It’s similar to a vocabulary word search provided by the government, but our lives are on the dotted line.”
Katsina’s ‘Miscreants’
And we shouldn’t overlook Katsina, where the government continues to rely on their established strategy of shifting blame. “Miscreants” they shout, “They’re everywhere!” It seems as though they are engaging in a competition of identifying criminals, with the public continuously failing.
A resident commented,
Whenever we protest, it’s always the same routine. “Miscreants here, criminals there. It seems as if they are avoiding discussing the actual problems.”
