By Mo Isa
Despite the arrest of 25 persons in the previous protest, residents of Niger State have taken to the streets again on Wednesday, 7 February 2024, to protest the high cost of living in Nigeria.
Recall that the last protest was in Mina, the state capital, two days ago. However, today’s protest happened in Suleja, the commercial capital of the state, which is only a few kilometres away from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja.
CONVERSEER learned that the protesters were carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Leadership is all about improving the life of the masses,” and “Nigerians are suffering, stop the hardship now,” among others.
According to Channels Television, an eyewitness, Mr Yazid Abubakar, said the protesters stormed the popular Moroko Road where the biggest market is located in the town.
Some women and youths in their numbers took to the street and blocked the Kpagungu axis of Minna-Bida Road in the Niger State capital city on Monday, protesting against hunger and the high cost of living.
The women, carrying a placard with the inscription “No food, we are dying of hunger”, demanded a better condition of living and a reduction in the cost of living for the citizenry.
They accused political officeholders of insensitivity to their plight as they lamented their inability to feed even once a day.
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The protest had caused traffic gridlock on the ever-busy Minna-Bida Road, which is a link road to the South-West part of the country from the North-Central.
Responding, Niger State Police Command clamped down on 25 protesters.
On Wednesday, Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the arrest of one Aisha Jibrin, the initiator of the protest, and 24 other suspects.
The earlier protest forced President Bola Tinubu to order a food intervention to check the shortage of food in the country.
CONVERSEER reports that some market women in Ondo State have threatened to beat up President Tinubu if they meet him one-on-one.