Daily Times

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigeria’s armed forces on Thursday warned against Kenya-style violence in protests planned for next week over soaring living costs, with the military saying it would head off “anarchy”. Kenya was rocked by deadly protests that forced the government to repeal new taxes. Nigeria’s economic reforms have seen a 40 percent spike in food inflation but there has been no unrest.

Social media calls have been made for demonstrations from August 1. It is unclear who is behind the calls or whether people will take part at a time when many Nigerians are wary of losing work and cautious over past crackdowns.

President Tinubu touched on the concerns in a statement late Thursday, saying: “We are not afraid of protests. Our concern is the ordinary people, and the damages that will be done.” In a separate statement, he said “we do not want to turn Nigeria into Sudan,” referencing the 15-month-old civil war in the northeast African country. “We are talking about hunger, not burials. We have to be careful.”

Prices have risen since Tinubu ended a costly fuel subsidy and liberalised the naira currency in reforms needed to revive the economy of Africa’s most populous nation. Officials, security forces and governors have urged youth to stay away from any protests. Some have even accused the organisers of treason and seeking to destabilise the country.