Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Sunday urged an end to mass protests over economic hardships, citing violence and attributing the unrest to “a few with a political agenda.” Despite his appeal, protests persisted for a fourth day in several areas, including Lagos, the country's economic center.

Since their inception on Thursday, the protests have been marred by incidents of looting and vandalism, with allegations of excessive force by security personnel. Amnesty International reported that nine protesters were killed during clashes with police, and four others died in a bombing. However, Nigerian police have refuted Amnesty's claims.

In his first public statement on the demonstrations, President Tinubu acknowledged the public’s grievances: “I have heard you loud and clear,” he said. “I understand the pain and 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.” Nonetheless, he warned against those he described as having a political agenda to destabilize the nation, asserting that security forces would resist such efforts.

Critics, including the Lagos-based research firm SBM Intelligence, argued that Tinubu missed an opportunity to address the root causes of the protests and failed to provide a clear plan for resolving them. They noted a "missed opportunity" in which he "shied away from the underlying issues and provided no roadmap or clear targets for tackling them."

The protests reflect widespread dissatisfaction over the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation, compounded by allegations of mismanagement and corruption in Nigeria, a major oil producer. Public frustration is fueled by the stark contrast between the substantial earnings of public officials and the prevalent poverty and hunger.

According to Tinubu's aides, the protests are politically motivated. His presidency, secured with only 37% of the vote last year—an election marked by the lowest turnout since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999—was contested by opposition parties. The protests have also drawn inspiration from young activists in Kenya, who recently demonstrated against proposed tax increases.

President Tinubu stressed that his administration would not allow the continuation of looting reported in recent days. He urged protesters and organizers to halt demonstrations and engage in dialogue.

Meanwhile, the military has threatened to step in to stop the violence.

Tinubu defended his government's bold reforms aimed at reducing government expenditure and attracting foreign investment. However, these reforms, such as the removal of long-standing gas subsidies and currency devaluation, have worsened economic hardships due to poor implementation.

He implored citizens to allow the economy to recover, saying, “The economy is recovering; please, don’t shut out its oxygen.”

In a region prone to military coups spurred by dissatisfaction with democratically elected leaders, President Tinubu cautioned that the protests could endanger Nigeria's democracy. He concluded with a call to progress: “Forward ever, backward never!”