Youths and women took to the streets in Niger State on Monday in protest of what they called the biting hardship and the rising cost of living in the country.
The protest started when a group of women blocked the Minna-Bida Road at the popular Kpakungu Roundabout to lament what they termed the sufferings under the Bola Tinubu government.
They were later joined by men and youths who barricaded the road and halted vehicular traffic.
The economic situation in the country had become unbearable following the removal of the fuel subsidy by President Tinubu on May 29, 2023.
The policy triggered a surge in food inflation and a hike in costs of transportation, goods, and services, resulting in a higher cost of living.
Also, the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria in June 2023 to float the naira, which allows buyers and sellers to set their exchange rates in the FX market, has led to a depreciation of the national currency which has continued to lose its value against the greenback.
As of Monday, the naira exchanged for N1,440 to the US dollar on the black market while the CBN rate was pegged at N905/$1.
In reaction to the economic distress, the protesting youths and women halted commercial activities as they lamented how the economy was getting worse under Tinubu’s leadership.
A youth, who gave his name as Ibrahim Gana, said, “A measure of rice was sold for N2,000 in Minna markets while maize was N1,000 per measure. The Federal Government needs to take action to reduce the hardship faced by poor Nigerians. Things are becoming unbearable.”
The protesters defied a team of police operatives deployed to disperse them.
Attempts by the operatives to quell the protest and arrest the youths failed as they chased the officers.
The police operatives fired teargas canisters but the protesters were unmoved as they stood their ground.
The Niger State Police command spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, explained that the police applied minimum force to disperse the protesters.
He added, “I woke up this morning with information that a large number of people protesting blocked Bida Road, obstructing motorists and people were unable to go about their work. So, we had to deploy there this morning.
“After so much persuasion, they refused to open the road, even the deputy governor was there to address them. As a result of that, we had to use minimum force to disperse the protesters; the road was opened and there is free flow of traffic now.”
Meanwhile, the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has assured that the hard times being faced by Nigerians would soon come to an end with the right policies of the Federal Government.
The President’s wife gave the assurance on Monday at the State House during a meeting with the Governors Wives on her pet project, Renewed Hope Initiative.
She assured that the year 2024 is loaded with “peace, progress, prosperity and greater achievements’’ to the advantage of all Nigerians.
