Minna, Niger State – Residents of Minna, Niger State, particularly youths and women, have staged a protest against what they perceive as severe economic hardship and the increasing cost of living in the country, specifically targeting grievances at the Bola Tinubu-led government.
The demonstration commenced when a group of women barricaded the Minna-Bida Road at the bustling Kpakungu Roundabout to voice their distress under the current administration. Subsequently, men and youths joined in, impeding vehicular movement along the route.
In the protest, the youth vocalized their frustrations in the Hausa language, expressing dismay over the deteriorating state of the nation's economy under the leadership of Ahmed Tinubu.
Ibrahim Gana, one of the protesting youths, lamented, “Rice was sold at the cost of N2,000 at Minna markets while maize was N1,000 per module (measure). The Federal Government needs to take action to reduce the hardship being faced by poor Nigerians. Things are becoming unbearable.”
Efforts by police operatives to disband the protest and apprehend some demonstrators proved futile as the youth resisted, asserting that the police were acting as agents of the government.
Despite attempts to calm the situation and disperse the crowd, tensions escalated, with passersby narrowly avoiding injuries as the protesters continued to obstruct activities in the area.
Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for the Niger State Command, acknowledged the protest, stating, “After so much persuasion, they refused to open the road, even the deputy Governor, His Excellency, was there to address them; we had to use minimum force to disperse the protesters, the road was opened, and there is a free flow of traffic now.”