Amid the ongoing economic hardship in Nigeria, youths in Niger State have taken to the streets to protest the rising cost of living.
Brandishing placards with messages such as ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’, ‘We Are Not Slaves In Our Country’, ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’, and ‘Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back’, the protesters marched through the streets chanting anti-government slogans.
Attempts by our correspondent to speak with some of the demonstrators on the Abuja-Kaduna expressway were declined, reflecting the tense atmosphere.
Both Federal and State governments had made efforts to deter the protest, expressing concerns that it could be hijacked by hoodlums and undermine democracy.
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State had introduced several welfare measures to alleviate the economic strain on residents, including a N20,000 wage allowance for state and local government civil servants and the release of 50,000 metric tonnes of grains to be sold at subsidized rates. At a town hall meeting, he assured the public, “We have over 100,000 metric tonnes of food in our reserves, out of which we will be releasing 50,000 metric tonnes to be sold at 50% of its present price. Before the end of the year, we will slash food prices by 90%.”
Additionally, to show appreciation for their efforts in combating banditry, insurgency, and other criminal activities, the governor announced a gift of one Prado Jeep to each head of security agency in the state.
The protest’s organizers had initially announced August 1 as the start date, though some groups commenced in July. So far, there has been no official response from the government or security agencies regarding the protest in Niger State.
(DailyTrust)
