The Federal Government appears to be foot-dragging on the 30-day confab for youths in the
country, promised by President Bola Tinubu, to discuss and address challenges confronting them.
Tinubu had, during Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day Anniversary Broadcast on October 1, 2024, vowed to convene the confab, saying the modalities and selection of delegates would be designed “as soon as possible”.
The promise was apparently in response to the #EndBadGovernance protests organized earlier by youths across the country between August 1 and 10, 2024.
The confab is expected to hold under the theme, ‘Next-Gen Nigeria: Crafting Solutions, Owning the Future’.
The protests stemmed from Nigeria’s growing economic hardship and hunger which was due to record inflation, especially on food prices.
Some experts linked the protests to the execution of economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and the devaluation of the Naira following the removal of its peg to the US dollar designed to liberalize the Nigerian economy and attract foreign investment.
Many, mostly youth, were reportedly killed by security forces in a bid to disperse the protesters with four said to have been shot dead in Borno and four in Niger on the first day of the protests.
Three protesters were also reportedly killed in Kaduna and two in Jigawa, bringing the total number deaths to at least 14.
Security forces action on the protests generated widespread outrage after scores of protesters deemed to be minors were arrested, detained and arraigned in court contrary to the law which forbids the prosecution of the underage.
It took a broadcast by the president to bring an end to the protests.
