Following the announcement of a nationwide protest scheduled to commence on August 1 across the country, shopping malls and business owners have tightened their security measures.
Some Nigerians are planning to protest to express their displeasure over the economic hardship in the country using the hashtag, #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.
At Adeniran Ogunsanya Shopping Mall in Surulere area of Lagos, BusinessDay observed that business activities were on with no traces of disturbance.
The mall was filled with customers from the entrance gate to the car parks. They purchased several items for personal use.
Speaking with BusinessDay, an official said the mall has no plan to shut down.
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He said that security mechanisms have been put in place to forestall any attack on its facility or customers.
“As you can see, the mall is open. We have security men on the ground already. We don’t intend to close unless something bad happens on the first (day of the protest). We have plans to open the mall for customers’ patronage. The management does not have any intention to close down.”
In 2020, it was reported that protesters stormed the Adeniran Ogunsanya Shopping Mall, destroying several goods and looting products worth millions of naira.
Reacting to the incident while taking steps to prevent a repeat, the official said, “What happened in 2020, I think, was lapses of the government. But this time, I don’t think they would watch and allow people to break into shops and loot.”
However, one of the customers of the shopping mall, who identified herself as Ebunoluwa Adenike, said it is the right of every citizen to protest and express their displeasure over a particular government or policy but hopes it would go smoothly without riots, looting, or violence.
“I hope the protest will not go wrong just as in 2020. It is also another reason why I’m here today. I need to buy some things for upkeep should it be in case.”
A visit to the Leisure Mall in Surulere, Lagos, showed there was no panic.
A security officer, who preferred to be anonymous, disclosed that security personnel have been mounted to prevent any form of attack within the mall.
He noted that its management has deployed every means to secure its customers and assured no plan of closing down because of the protest.
But Chukwuemeka Rollands, a business owner at Bode Thomas, Lagos, said: “The protest will hold regardless. The hardship is too much. However, I am hopeful security measures are put in place by the police, and there won’t be intimidation of protesters.”
Meanwhile, security personnel have mounted strategic places in the area, including the popular Teslim Balogun Stadium, Ojuelegba Roundabout, and Bode Thomas Street, our reporter observed.
Read also: Aba women riot, #EndSARs, five other major protests recorded in Nigeria since 1929
There was a peaceful atmosphere at Circle Mall located in the Lekki area of Lagos. The mall, which was also looted during the #EndSARS protest in October 2020, houses several stores belonging to brands such as Samsung, Apple, Nike, Oraimo, ShopRite, KFC, among others.
An official, who spoke with our correspondent, dismissed the claims that the mall is planning to close down due to the planned nationwide protest.
“There will be a meeting today at the headquarters. I can’t give anything concrete now until after the meeting,” Kayode Ibidamitan, center manager of Circle Mall, told BusinessDay.
Seriki Fawaz, a sales manager at Royalline Phones and Accessories at the mall, told BusinessDay that, “We were affected when the 2020 incident happened. I have discussed this with my boss and he suggested that we should move some items from this store, especially the expensive ones, like iPhones and MacBooks. We are moving them to a safer place.”
Other stores within the premises said they were aware of the planned protest and hoped that the experience of 2020 would not repeat itself. However, they were awaiting the directives of the mall management to know the next line of action.
Poor state of Nigerian economy
Nigeria is currently contending with a record high inflation rate of 34.19 percent (in June 2024) due to the two-time devaluation of the naira and removal of petrol subsidy.
The inflationary trends have raised Nigeria’s interest rates by a combined 800 basis points from 18.75 percent last July to 26.75 percent currently as the central bank continues to deploy monetary tools to restore the battered economy.
Food inflation, which constitutes the largest percentage of the headline inflation, is currently 40.87 percent. The costs of energy and transportation have skyrocketed in the last one year, making life difficult for the masses.
Fears of protest hijack are real
President Bola Tinubu has appealed to the organisers of the protest to give him more time to address the economic hardships.
Security agencies, including police and military, have warned of the possibility of the protest being hijacked by vested interests and leading to violence.
Protesters blocks Kaduna road
Scores of protesters on Monday blocked Kaduna Road, a highway in Niger State linking Kaduna to Abuja.
Many of the protesters expressed frustration with the state of affairs and the high cost of living in the country.
They also want a solution to the spate of insecurity and killings.
According to Premium Times, the protesters carried placards with several inscriptions such as ‘We Are Not Slaves’, ‘Enough is Enough’; ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’, ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’ and ‘Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back.’
This is coming in a few days to the planned nationwide protest across the country.
Read also: Nigeria to lose N400bn daily to proposed protest CPPE
Tension builds in FCT
Tensions are mounting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria as residents brace for the protest.
“We don’t know what to expect. I was at the market on Saturday and I bought foodstuffs that would last me for a long period. But I will be home throughout. I will not go out due to the experience I had during #Endsars,” Nenye Romuche, an Abuja resident, said.
Civil servants have expressed fears of the possible violence that may arise from the protests. Achetu Solomon, an Abuja-based civil servant, said she plans to stay indoors to avoid an attack and cannot risk being a victim.
Some road travellers are rescheduling their trips for fear of road closures. This is as the Nigerian police have tightened security at each border point leading in and out of the FCT.
“I was scheduled to travel on the first of August to Lagos for a conference, but I will have to travel earlier,” Abuja-based Darius Solomon said.
Diplomatic community expresses caution
A source within the diplomatic community, who requested anonymity, revealed to BusinessDay that many diplomats have decided to stay indoors and work from home during this period.
“Most of them are discussing among themselves that they have decided to stay indoors and work from home,” the source said.
The heightened precautions came as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada have all issued security alerts to their citizens in Nigeria.
The US Mission in Abuja has advised Americans to steer clear of rallies and stay updated through local media.
Similarly, the UK High Commission has cautioned British nationals to be wary of large crowds and to stay informed through media reports.
The advisory emphasises that protests in major cities like Abuja and Lagos could escalate to violence unexpectedly.
The Canadian government has also issued a warning, noting that the protests could disrupt traffic and public transportation and might become violent without warning.
