Nigeria’s independence anniversary is marked by protests and frustration over economic hardship

Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerians are protesting against economic hardship as the West African nation marks its 64th independence anniversary. Police fired teargas to disperse some of the protesters in Abuja, the capital, on Tuesday. In a broadcast, Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu called for patience. It is the second protest in two months in Africa’s most populous country amid economic hardship caused by government reforms. Tinubu defended the policies as necessary to prevent the country from collapsing. Analysts say Nigeria still performs poorly in key areas like education and health.