Nigerian president calls for end to protests, 'bloodshed'

ABUJA

Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for the suspension of nationwide protests and an end to "bloodshed" on Sunday after security forces cracked down on rallies over economic hardship.

Thousands of demonstrators began taking to the streets last week to protest government policies and the high cost of living.

Rights group Amnesty International has accused security forces of killing at least 13 protesters, while police say seven people died and deny responsibility.

In a televised address, Tinubu urged the demonstrators "to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue," his first public comments on the rallies since they started on Thursday.

"I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and the frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens," he said.

"But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart," he warned. "We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction."

'Hunger and deep poverty'

Tinubu also used the speech to defend his record and outline measures he said would benefit young Nigerians and the economy.

Africa's most populous country is battling high inflation and a tumbling naira after Tinubu ended a fuel subsidy and liberalised the currency more than a year ago in reforms the government says will improve the economy in the long term.

Dubbed #EndbadGovernanceinNigeria, the protest movement won support with an online campaign.

But officials have warned against attempts to copy recent anti-government protests in Kenya, where demonstrators forced the president to abandon new taxes.

Police in Nigeria said they had arrested nearly 700 people in the first two days of the protests, accusing them of "armed robbery, arson, mischief" and destroying property.

Amnesty has urged police to release demonstrators and refrain from firing live rounds to break up crowds.

On Friday, it said "security personnel at the locations where lives were lost deliberately used tactics designed to kill while dealing with gatherings of people protesting hunger and deep poverty."

In his address, Tinubu said "security operatives should continue to maintain peace, law, and order in our country following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory."

Kano deaths

The protests eased in many places on Saturday, but security forces again fired teargas at demonstrators in Abuja and residents told AFP that police killed three people at a rally in the northern city Kano.

The city has seen intense clashes in recent days and residents said police in the Rijiyar Lemo district fired shots and tear gas at a crowd throwing stones on Saturday afternoon.

Resident Sanusi Usman said the police used "live bullets to disperse the crowd."

"Three people were killed, including two minors and a pregnant woman who was hit as she was crossing the road," he said.

"Three people were hit and killed, two boys and a pregnant woman who was crossing the highway," resident Awwalu Ibrahim also told AFP. "One of the boys was nine years old. He was the son of my neighbour."

Police have not responded to requests for comment.