“Tinubu Must Go!” — Angry Northern Youths Tear Down President’s Posters, Blame Hunger and Hardship for Mass Discontent

Tension is boiling over in Northern Nigeria as groups of angry youths took to the streets in protest, tearing down campaign posters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu while chanting anti-government slogans. The protests, which erupted on Wednesday, July 3, 2025, in parts of Kano, Katsina, and Bauchi states, reflect growing frustrations over rising food prices, widespread unemployment, and worsening poverty.

Clips circulating on social media show mobs of young men chanting “Tinubu must go! He wan use hunger kill us!” as they ripped down banners and defaced posters bearing the president’s image. The scenes have sparked widespread reactions across political and civil society circles, with many warning that Nigeria is nearing a breaking point.

Food inflation reached a staggering 46.4% in June 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, with staple items like rice, garri, and maize becoming unaffordable for millions. Young people across the North, already battling decades of economic marginalization, say the situation under Tinubu’s government has become “unbearable and humiliating.”

Protesters accused the federal government of abandoning ordinary citizens while enriching a few elites and defending controversial policies such as fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluation. “Our parents can’t feed us. Even bread is now a luxury. What kind of country is this?” one protester in Kano told reporters.

This marks one of the first open, coordinated acts of civil resistance against Tinubu in Northern Nigeria—a region that overwhelmingly supported him during the 2023 election. Political observers believe the mass dissatisfaction could significantly impact his 2027 re-election campaign, especially if current conditions persist.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has yet to release an official statement, but sources within the party are reportedly rattled by the public anger. Security agencies have been placed on alert to prevent escalation, as protests gain momentum and solidarity calls grow from student unions and civil rights organizations.

Public commentators are warning that the president must urgently address the economic crisis or risk losing the support base that brought him to power. With the 2027 elections drawing closer, the message from the streets is loud and clear: the North is no longer silent, and their hunger has become a protest.