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“Call off this protest, give government a chance to redeem itself”: Religious Leaders to Nigerians

Jude Atemanke

By Jude Atemanke

Abuja, 02 August, 2024 / 10:54 pm (ACI Africa).

Members of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) have appealed to citizens to call off the ongoing anti-government protests in the West African nation and give the government a chance to provide solutions to the country’s challenges. 

On August 1, Thousands of young people took to the streets across Nigeria to protest against the country’s economic hardships, Reuters reported. The report further indicates that at least three people were killed in clashes between the police and protesters.

An August 2 Reuters report indicates that the Nigerian police may seek the help of the military after the violent protests.

In a statement shared with ACI Africa on Friday, August 2, the religious leaders say, “Civil unrest is not the solution as it would only further aggravate the already frail state of the nation.”

“NIREC hereby calls on fellow citizens of Nigeria to please call off this protest and give the Government a chance to redeem itself,” the members of the Council that is co-chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh , say in the August 2 statement.

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They urge the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government to “expedite action towards meeting the yearning and needs of the citizens.”

The planned 10-day street demonstrations in Nigeria seek to address economic hardships in Africa’s most populous nation as well as protracted systemic issues. They have been inspired by the Kenya-style youth-led protests that started on June 18.

In their August 2 statement, NIREC members say they observe “with heavy heart the happenings in the country at the moment.”

“The protest that commenced in a peaceful manner on Thursday, August 1, 2024 despite pleas from all quarters, took a turn for the worse and became violent later in the day. In just a few hours lives and property were lost due to this unfortunate scenario,” the religious leaders lament.

They add, “In just one day lives and an enormous amount of property have been destroyed. Imagine if this continues for a prolonged period of time, only God knows the extent of damage that would be incurred.”

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NIREC members call on Nigeria’s security agencies to be “more professional in the discharge of their duties.”

 “We need a peaceful and tranquil nation we can be proud to call our own,” the religious leaders say in the statement shared with ACI Africa on August 2.

Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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