Unemployment: Obasanjo issues fresh warning to Tinubu's govt as protests turn violent in some states

• The former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, has shared his thoughts on the ongoing nationwide protests
• Obasanjo voiced concerns against youths unrest caused by rising unemployment, and warned that Nigeria might be "sitting on a keg of gunpowder"
• The elder stateman urged President Tinubu's government to create more opportunities for the youths as the protests enter day 6

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern over youths’ restiveness caused by unemployment.

Obasanjo made the statement during an interview with the Financial Times monitored by Channels Television and warned that Nigeria might be sitting on a keg of gunpowder.

Nigerians took to the streets on Thursday, August 1, to begin the 10-day nationwide protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

The protest was an avenue for aggrieved Nigerians to express their anger over the country's level of hunger and hardship.

Reacting to the troubling development, Obasanjo warned:

“Our youth are restive. And they are restive because they have no skill. They have no empowerment. They have no employment. We are all sitting on a keg of gunpowder. And my prayer is that we will do the right thing before it’s too late.”

Speaking further, Obasanjo said Nigeria’s economy would have been much better if it had not relied on just crude oil production.

He described the country’s reliance on crude oil as a “deadly mistake,” SaharaReporters confirmed.

“I believe we made a deadly mistake by putting all our eggs in one basket by relying on oil. We had a very important commodity, gas, but we were flaring it,” he said.

Read more on hardship protests

• “Find the reason behind protesters raising Russian Flag”: APC chieftain advises Tinubu
• Protesters burn down APC headquarters in Jigawa
• Protests: Dele Momodu speaks on possibility of Tinubu declaring state of emergency

Nigeria's hardship protests: Shehu Sani voiced concerns

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Shehu Sani has pleaded with citizens to call off the ongoing nationwide protest against economic hardship.

Legit.ng reports that Sani emphasised that civil unrest was not a viable solution and would only worsen northern Nigeria’s fragile condition.

The former federal lawmaker observed with concern how the protest that commenced peacefully on Thursday, August 1, turned violent, resulting in the loss of lives and property.

Source: Legit.ng