ABUJA, Nigeria
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has pleaded with his compatriots for "patience" as they continue to grapple with a tough economic situation.
In an Independence Day speech,
Tinubu defended his controversial economic reforms, saying they were necessary
and were beginning to bear results.
He also insisted Nigeria was
"winning the war" on the violence that has killed thousands in the
north over recent years - a declaration that will seem far-fetched to some.
Protesters in the capital,
Abuja, as well as Lagos are using the 64th anniversary of independence from the
UK to denounce what they see as the government's poor handling of the economy.
President Tinubu began his
speech on Tuesday by telling Nigerians: "I am deeply aware of the
struggles many of you face in these challenging times.
"I plead for your
patience as the reforms we are implementing show positive signs, and we are
beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel."
After coming to power last
year, Tinubu removed a subsidy that kept the price of fuel low for Nigerians.
He also scrapped the policy of
pegging the naira to the US dollar, instead allowing the market to determine
the price of the currency. This caused the naira to plunge in value - at one
point it hit an all-time low.
This - along with the ending
of the fuel subsidy - have been factors in the recent rise on the cost of
living.
Annual inflation - the average
rate at which prices go up - has reached highs not seen for nearly three
decades. Last month, inflation was at 32%.
In Tuesday's address, Tinubu
said his administration had no choice but to put the economy on a more
sustainable path. He also noted that numerous other countries across the world
had seen an increased cost of living.
Following the speech, Lagos resident Michael Olaleye told the Reuters news agency: "Personally, me I am doubting if it is something that is going to work out because it has not shown really... majority of what the president is talking about has not shown."
But another city dweller,
Victory Azimih, urged Nigerians to be "optimistic" and acknowledged
that the government could not "fix everything".
Tinubu also addressed security in
his speech, saying: "I am happy to announce to you, my compatriots, that
our administration is winning the war on terror and banditry."
He added that the government
had eliminated commanders from Boko Haram - a leading Islamist militant group
in Nigeria - "faster than ever".
The nation's military has
recently stepped up its campaign against armed groups, intensifying air
bombardment and land operations.
Troops had
"neutralised" almost 2,000 "terrorists" in the third
quarter of the year, a military spokesperson said earlier this week.
But last week 24 people were
killed when a military airstrike targeted armed gangs in Kaduna state but,
according to local residents, hit a mosque and homes instead.
And reports of civilians being
attacked by the armed groups the government is fighting still surface
frequently.
Just two days ago, local media
reported that armed assailants had killed at least two people and kidnapped 44
others in separate attacks in the states of Zamfara and Kaduna.
Protesters launched
demonstrations on Tuesday, with the organisers saying they were against
"the devastation, hunger, insecurity and the hardship that this government
has unleashed on Nigerians".
Similar protests took place in
early August. At least 21 people were killed in the demonstrations, while
hundreds of others were arrested and charged with treason, looting and
vandalism.
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