The “End Bad Governance” protest in Jos, Plateau State, escalated on Sunday, August 4th, with hundreds of protesters converging on Bauchi Road. The demonstrators issued stern warnings to business owners and vandalized several shops in the area.
Reports indicate that protesters demanded businesses either join the demonstration on Monday or shut down to avoid further damage to their properties.
Expressing dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s address earlier in the day, the protesters claimed his speech failed to address the nation’s pressing issues. They vowed to mobilize more citizens, insisting that the protest is the only effective way to voice their concerns to the government.
The demonstrators, comprising both adults and youths, marched through various streets carrying placards, leaves, and flags. They warned, “No business tomorrow. Everyone should come out for the protest.”
The main demands of the protesters include the removal of the fuel subsidy and urgent measures to address the nation’s worsening insecurity.
In his broadcast, President Tinubu ruled out the return of the fuel subsidy, despite acknowledging the pain caused by its removal. He argued that eliminating the subsidy was essential to prevent it from stifling the country’s economic progress.
“I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our nation and impeded our economic development and progress,” Tinubu stated.
In response to the unrest, the Plateau State government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Jos and Bukuru metropolis to restore order and prevent further escalation.
