The Federal Government has described agitations by some Nigerians, largely in the South-East and some parts of South-South, as “completely legitimate.”

There have been mass protests in the South-East for an independent country of Biafra. The protests have, sometimes, gone violent with reported deaths, allegedly at the hands of security officials.

The protests got worse following the arrest and prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu, director of Radio Biafra, a pirate radio the Nigerian government accuses of spreading hate and violence.

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who spoke on the agitations, however said the basic cause of it was “economic” which would have gotten worse but for the efforts of the current administration.

Speaking at a News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja at the weekend, Mr. Mohammed appealed to leaders in the country not to exploit the economic situation to further destabilise Nigerians.

The minister, who noted that current agitations by citizens were “completely legitimate,” assured of the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the economy.

“There are many political frontlines in Nigeria, religious, ethnic and the like but these things do not come to the fore until when there are serious economic problems like we are having today. I have listened to the complaints of many of these agitators and right down it is economic.

“They must understand too that but for this furtiveness of this administration, this country would have been by far much worse.

“There is need for Nigerians to understand also that these are not ordinary times and that the government is not just making excuses.

“I appeal to our leaders not to exploit this situation to further destabilise Nigerians; our leaders should be courageous enough to come out and defend our unity.

“There will be no alternative to one united Nigeria.”

•Photo shows pro-Biafra protesters.