After three days of relative calm, fresh protests have erupted in Katsina, with young persons marching on the streets, waving the Russian flag.
Conveners of the #EndBadGovernance protests have declared that the exercise would run from August 1 to August 10.
But in his nationwide broadcast on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu appealed to the protesters to halt their actions and dialogue with his government.
He also appealed to them not to allow enemies of democracy use them to promote an unconstitutional agenda.
“Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!” Tinubu had said.
However, the use of Russian flag gained momentum across protest grounds after the broadcast.
Russia, an Eastern power which is currently having a cold war with the West, Nigeria’s colonial master, has been fingered in the coup d’etats in West African countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, among others.
On Monday morning in Katsina, some protesters waived Russian flags, chatting in Hausa, “Hunger is killing us,”
Policemen have started trailing them, firing teargas to disperse them.
