Nigeria Suffers ₦300bn Loss Due to End Bad Governance Protests – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima revealed on Tuesday that Nigeria incurred losses of over ₦300 billion during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests that took place in August 2024.

Shettima shared this during an event held to receive 114 protesters, both minors and adults, who had been arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force but were discharged by a Federal High Court in Abuja. The case against them was dismissed by Justice Obiora Egwatu after a request from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

Representing President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Shettima formally handed over the minors to their respective state governors, including Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State and Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State.

President Tinubu had, on humanitarian grounds, directed the release of the protesters. Shettima emphasized that this directive was made despite what he described as “incontrovertible digital video and photographic evidence” of alleged actions by some of the protesters, adding that many of these images were reportedly uploaded by the individuals themselves.

“Despite this evidence, the president, as the father of the nation, has chosen to offer these young Nigerians another opportunity to grow into responsible citizens who can positively contribute to the nation’s progress,” Shettima stated.

He urged the youths not to allow themselves to be used to incite violence or damage public and private property in the future, citing significant economic losses as a result of the protests. “Over ₦300 billion was lost, primarily in the form of private property and business disruptions,” he noted.

Shettima also appealed to state governors and elected officials to work together in rehabilitating and reintegrating these young citizens into society, stressing that “what binds us as citizens of Nigeria is stronger than what divides us.”

The event was attended by several high-ranking officials, including Minister of Education Tunji Alausa, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Nentawe Yilwatda, and Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal.

The release of the minors followed a public outcry regarding their detention conditions, with reports of some minors collapsing during court proceedings. This incident fueled public outrage and prompted the president’s amnesty directive.

President Tinubu also ordered the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, alongside relevant agencies, to establish rehabilitation programs for the minors. Furthermore, he called for an investigation into the circumstances of the minors’ arrests and instructed that punitive measures be taken against any security personnel found culpable.