Hunger Protest Loses Steam as DSS Grills Seven Foreigners

By Kingnaafrika.

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     Protesters during Day six of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest in Port Harcourt

Port Harcourt, Nigeria – August 8, 2024

The hunger protests that have rocked Nigeria, particularly in the northern regions, since last Thursday, now appear to be losing momentum. The decline follows a police crackdown on protest organizers and participants, many of whom have been detained.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has taken custody of seven Polish nationals who were arrested for waving Russian flags during the demonstrations in Kano. DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya confirmed the arrests, emphasizing that they were part of routine security enforcement rather than a targeted effort against Polish citizens¹.

The protests, known as the #EndBadGovernance movement, gained momentum in major cities across Nigeria, including Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Niger, Kebbi, and Abuja. However, they were marked by escalating violence.

Security officials’ actions sometimes triggered violence, while in other cases, it resulted from overzealous protesters or counter-protesters.

President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation, urging protest organizers to suspend the action due to violence in some states, resulting in loss of lives and property damage.

The protests were initially scheduled nationwide between August 1 and 10, 2024. However, they seem to have faltered as demonstrations were not held in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Borno, and other states on Wednesday. The police arrested 873 protesters and detained 30 others for waving Russian flags during the protests in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Bauchi states.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, labeled those waving Russian flags as committing treason and announced their prosecution.

Four political figures from Katsina, Kaduna, and Kano states are under investigation for allegedly instigating the use of Russian flags to orchestrate an unconstitutional regime change.

The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, emphasized that the arrest of the seven Polish nationals was in line with democratic principles and respect for human rights.

In summary, the hunger protests, once fervent, are now losing steam due to arrests, violence, and government intervention. The situation remains tense, and authorities continue to monitor developments closely.

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