The nationwide hunger protest has commenced with heavy presence of security personnel in Abuja, Lagos and other cities.
The protesters are mostly youths who said they are frustrated by the ongoing economic crunch ravaging the country.
FCT
By 8:20 a.m Abuja roads had been deserted with only few cars seen moving on the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, popularly known as Airport Road.
The police stationed an armored carrier at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja. At 8:48 am some protesters were already gathered at the gate of the MKO Abiola stadium in Abuja singing anti-government songs.
Security operatives are also present.
Also security was beefed at the three arms Zone with the deployment of an Armoured Personnel Carrier with soldiers and police operatives to protect the entry into the area The zone is where the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the Aso Villa are located.
At 8:31 am the Eagles Square, where the protesters had threatened to use even without permission was empty, but a heavy presence of soldiers and police officers were stationed at the venue.
There was an encounter between Abuja protesters and police at the entrance of the MKO Abiola stadium. Head of the police team had told the protesters to go inside, but they refused, arguing that the road was a public road and they were going to stay there to continue their protest.
“I didn’t say you shouldn’t protest but carry all yourselves inside there,” the head of the police team said
The police chief said there is a court order that the Abuja protest be held inside the stadium, and the protesters are violating it.
The FCT Police Commissioner, Ben Igwe, accused the protesters of disobeying court orders that they should protest inside the stadium and not outside. The protesters disagreed.
Leader of the Take It Back Movement activist Deji Adeyanju is leading the protest at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
Mararaba: more like sit-at-home order
In surrounding areas like Mararaba in Karu laocal Government Area in Nasarawa State, the roads were lmost empty with just motorcycles, bycycles and pedertstarns moving. Very few cars were seen. Most residents in this vicinity that is heavily populated remained indoors. The situation was more like a sit-at-home order in the south east.
Lagos
In Lagos, many of the protesters had gathered at the Ikeja underbridge in Lagos, singing and dancing and are expected to march from there to other parts of Ikeja.
EndBadGovernance protesters carried placards with “For Another General Strike With Mass Protest Now”, “We need Study Grants, Not Laons”, among others.
The protesters’ demands
The protests are demanding the reversal of the fuel price hike, the restoration of affordable electricity tariffs, and the reduction of import duties to their previous rates.
They also asked for the reversal of many institutions’ hikes in tertiary education fees, full transparency and accountability in governance, such as the public disclosure and reduction of public officials’ salaries and allowances and an emergency fund to support SMEs.
The State Security Service (SSS) has accused the protesters of intention to undermine the government and plunge the country into chaos.
Similarly, the Nigerian Army has warned that the protests could lead to anarchy and has promised to take proactive measures to maintain control.
