According to the report from the Sun, Rising inflation and a spike in food prices have fueled agitation for a nationwide protest set to take place in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from August 1 to 10. Despite the Federal Government's recent dispatch of 740 trucks of rice across the country, organizers of the protest, tagged 'Sóró Sókè' (a Yoruba phrase meaning "speak out"), are determined to proceed.
Fears of potential attacks on public officeholders, especially lawmakers, have arisen. Last week, the Senate expressed concern that angry Nigerians might revolt due to the prevailing hardship. During a plenary session, Senator Sunday Karimi Steve and Senator Ali Ndume Mohammed sponsored a motion titled “Urgent Need to Address Food Insecurity and Market Exploitation of Consumables in Nigeria.”
Former Senate president, Ahmed Lawan, warned that Nigerians' patience is wearing thin. "If we don’t take immediate action, we will lose the power. Our citizens are under the strain of increased fuel prices, electricity prices, and other costs, and we need the right measures to provide solutions," he said.
Sheik Gumi, in a video clip, recalled that former president Muhammadu Buhari had protested against the administration of then-president Goodluck Jonathan. "Politicians are very stubborn; it is mass protests that disturb them. Protest is the only language the government understands. In 2015, Buhari and other top APC officials protested that the previous government had spoiled Nigeria. Then, protest was legal but now it’s illegal," he mocked. "God willing, the protest will proceed peacefully, and the government must understand and respond positively to the language of protest."
“These tough decisions were essential despite their short-term impacts because previous leaderships chose to sidestep them for likely political reasons. The importance of subsistence and commercial farming cannot be overstated as a means to alleviate the current hardships,” he said.
On June 12, civil society groups, including the Take It Back Movement, the Education Rights Campaign, the Coalition for Revolution, and the Socialist Workers League, held protests against rising living costs, insecurity, and other pressing issues. They carried placards with messages such as “President Tinubu, let the poor breathe,” “Pay living wages to all Nigerian workers now,” “End insecurity,” “Nationalize the power sector,” and “Reverse fee hikes now.”