‘Fearless in October’ Protesters Teargassed in Abuja

Kehinde Fajobi

On Tuesday, police officers fired teargas to disperse protesters during the “Fearless In October” protest in Abuja, Nigeria, as citizens rallied against what they described as bad governance.

The protesters, waving Nigeria’s Green-White-Green flag and carrying banners with messages like “EndBadGovernance”, “DiasporaVoting”, and “EndHighLivingCosts”, had gathered in the Utako area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The peaceful demonstration was quickly halted by the police.

The October 1 protest, tagged “FearlessInOctober”, was largely organized through social media and came just two months after the August #EndBadGovernance protests. Both movements have been driven by young Nigerians demanding the reversal of President Bola Tinubu’s controversial economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidies and the increase in electricity tariffs.

Critics argue that Tinubu’s twin policies of subsidy removal and the unification of foreign exchange rates have caused unprecedented inflation and skyrocketing living costs. Since his administration began on May 29, 2023, energy costs have surged, with petrol prices rising from around ₦200 to over ₦1,000 per litre, and electricity tariffs quadrupling—heavily impacting both industries and households.

In his Independence Day broadcast on Tuesday, marking Nigeria’s 64th anniversary, President Tinubu acknowledged the economic hardship his policies have caused but pleaded for more time and patience.

He assured Nigerians that his administration is working to alleviate the soaring cost of living by refining its economic strategies for the benefit of ordinary citizens.