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Nigerian protesters defy president’s request to stop amid the worst cost-of-living crisis in years
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Protests against economic hardship continued for a fifth day in several Nigerian states on Monday, a day after the president called for an end to the demonstrations that have faced a crackdown from security forces.
Far fewer protesters were seen compared to earlier demonstrations that drew thousands, mostly young people. Hundreds showed up in the economic hub of Lagos and a few northern states.
At least 13 people have been reported dead in the protests which began on Thursday against the West African nation’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation and against the corruption and alleged bad governance that have stifled its development.
Nigerian security forces have been accused of using excessive force in the protests.
On Monday, President Bola Tinubu met with security chiefs in the capital, Abuja. A curfew was declared in northern Kaduna state — the sixth state to take such a measure since the protests began — after reports of looting.
The cost-of-living crisis is fueled by surging inflation, at a 28-year high, and government economic policies that have pushed the local currency to record lows against the dollar.
Tinubu on Sunday said his government was committed to addressing citizens’ concerns. But he provided no plan, according to the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence research firm.
A few protesters were seen waving Russian flags over the weekend and again on Monday in northern Nigeria, whose population is among the worst affected. The Russian embassy in Nigeria denied any responsibility, saying in a statement that the flags are personal choices of the protesters and “do not reflect any official position or policy of the Russian Government.”
The Russian flags being waved constitute treason and would be treated as such, Nigeria’s military chief Christopher Musa said after meeting with Tinubu.
Pro-Russian sentiments have been growing in parts of West Africa, where Moscow is increasingly welcomed by militaries that have staged coups and severed ties with the West. One is in Nigeria’s northern neighbor, Niger, where French and American troops have been asked to leave and Russia has been chosen as a new security partner.
On Sunday, Tinubu warned protesters not to let “the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda” in Nigeria, which currently holds the rotational chairmanship position of West Africa’s regional bloc.
Nigeria’s secret service said it had apprehended some tailors in northern Kano state it said were responsible for making Russian flags being distributed in the area. It said an investigation was ongoing.
Source:abcnews.go.com
The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced plans to introduce a new Bill to strengthen the legal framework for the discipline of lawyers in Ghana.
In an address read on his behalf by the Deputy Attorney-General at the opening of the 2026 Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, Dr. Ayine disclosed that the Bill is headed to Cabinet for review and approval before being laid before Parliament.
The proposed law, to be called the Legal Profession (Practitioners Standards Board) Bill, is expected to transform and strengthen the regulatory framework for disciplining lawyers to safeguard the rights of practitioners and promote public confidence in the profession.
According to the Attorney-General, when passed, the Bill will establish an independent Disciplinary Committee with clear rules of procedure and proposals on proportionate sanctions.
He explained that this marks a progressive departure from the existing framework where the Disciplinary Committee both investigates and adjudicates complaints. The Bill also proposes clear and strict procedural timelines for resolving grievances to avert prolonged deliberations that frustrate both clients and lawyers.
Secondly, Dr. Ayine noted that under the current framework, Superior Court judges sit on the Disciplinary Committee whose decisions, as quasi-judicial decisions, are subject to reviews and appeals in the same courts where these judges preside.
The new Bill seeks to eliminate this conflict of interest by creating a separately constituted Board composed of lay non-lawyers and professional representatives with guaranteed tenure.
The Attorney-General added that the Bill seeks to separate professional discipline from executive, judicial or competitive interference to ensure that disciplinary mechanisms are not weaponized against lawyers by clients, the Bench, or the State.
The introduction of the new law forms part of efforts by the Attorney-General to introduce reforms into the legal profession aimed at revolutionizing legal practice and training. It follows the passage of the Legal Education Act, 2026, which is currently at the implementation stage.
News
Gov’t did not approve market near school — Stan Dogbe clears air on Ahafo Ano South market siting
Deputy Chief of Staff, Stan Xoese Dogbe has reacted to a viral video raising concerns about the siting of a market close to a school in the Ahafo Ano South District of the Ashanti Region.
In a post responding to the video, Mr. Dogbe said he has been in contact with the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, who he said is on top of the situation and has long since halted the construction process.
According to him, the decision to designate the said land near the school for the market was not a government decision.
“Once the development was brought to the RCC’s attention, the regional minister immediately asked that the process be stopped,” he stated.
Mr. Dogbe explained that the community currently has no available land space for the construction of the model market, which necessitated their choice of the location near the school.
He noted however that the community has been asked to find another, more suitable piece of land for the project to commence.
“We thank all for the interest in developmental issues in our communities,” he added.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
