Abuja: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has appealed for protests to end after “bloodshed” during three days of demonstrations over a deepening cost of living crisis.
At least seven people have died and more than 700 have been arrested since Nigerians nationwide rallied on Thursday for the first of 10 planned “days of rage”.
“My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear,” the president said in a televised address, adding that he understood their “pain and frustration”.
He went on to defend his economic reforms, which the protesters blame for their hardships since he came to office in May 2023, including skyrocketing prices. The president said the protests had been hijacked by looters in some areas, and ending the unrest would create room for dialogue. (Agencies)
