A coalition of civil society organisations, labour activists, youth groups and human rights advocates led by prominent lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has declared June 12, Nigeria’s Democracy Day, a day of nationwide protest against worsening insecurity, economic hardship and rising hunger across the country.
The coalition announced the planned mass action in a statement issued on Wednesday, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of failing to adequately protect lives and property while implementing economic policies that have worsened poverty and suffering among Nigerians.
The statement, signed by Falana, musician and activist Falz, activist Hassan Taiwo Soweto, and representatives of several organisations including the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) and the Joint Action Front (JAF), said millions of Nigerians have little cause for celebration on Democracy Day amid growing security and economic challenges.
According to the group, communities across the country continue to face terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and violent attacks, leaving many citizens dead, displaced or traumatised. The coalition expressed solidarity with victims of insecurity and their families, while calling for the immediate release of Nigerians currently held captive by criminal groups in several states.
The activists argued that repeated assurances by government officials that insecurity is being defeated have failed to translate into safety for ordinary citizens. They noted that farmers, students and travellers remain vulnerable to attacks, while many communities continue to live under the threat of violence.
The coalition also criticised key economic policies of the Tinubu administration, including fuel subsidy removal, currency devaluation and rising electricity tariffs, which it said have contributed to soaring living costs. It maintained that increasing food prices, transportation expenses and business closures have pushed millions of Nigerians into deeper hardship.
The group further lamented that workers’ wages remain inadequate amid persistent inflation, despite increased government revenues and statutory allocations.
Describing the June 12 demonstration as part of a broader campaign for change, the coalition urged workers, students, traders, artisans, market women, professionals, unemployed youths, religious bodies and community groups to mobilise and participate in the protest.
The organisers said the demonstration is aimed at demanding improved security, economic relief and better living conditions for Nigerians, insisting that citizens must unite to confront what they described as escalating hardship and insecurity across the country.
