In a peaceful demonstration that took place on Monday in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, a group of protesters called on President Bola Tinubu to address the issues of insecurity and hunger in Nigeria.
The demonstrators, comprising mostly youths, expressed their frustration with the current state of the country and demanded tangible actions from the government.
The protesters held placards with messages such as ‘Tinubu Must Address Insecurity’ and ‘Hunger is Killing Us’.
They said that the alarming cost of living is making it increasingly difficult for citizens to afford basic necessities.
The protest comes at a time when Nigeria is dealing with various security challenges, including kidnappings, banditry, and attacks by terrorist groups.
One of the major grievances raised by the protesters is the skyrocketing prices of food, which has resulted in widespread difficulty for many Nigerians to feed their families.
The demonstrators hope that their peaceful protest will draw the attention of President Tinubu and the government to these urgent issues.
While the protest has remained peaceful thus far, there are concerns that it could escalate into violence if the government does not respond promptly to the demands.
Security personnel are stationed at strategic locations, and the Oyo State Police Command had issued a warning before the protest, stating that no breach of peace would be tolerated.
The convergence point for the protest was Mokola, with demonstrations also planned in other parts of the city.
This protest in Oyo State follows similar ones in Kano, Minna, and other locations, expressing dissatisfaction over economic hardships linked to petrol subsidy removal, food inflation, and the overall high cost of living.
In response to the planned protest, the Oyo State Police Command, through its spokesman Adewale Osifeso, issued a statement emphasising the need to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order.
While acknowledging the citizens’ right to peaceful protests, the statement said that law enforcement must be involved to safeguard public order, lives, and property.
The police warning coincides with the African Development Bank’s alarm about rising fuel and commodity prices which may potentially lead to social unrest in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Angola, and Kenya.
The bank cautioned that increased prices, driven by factors such as currency depreciation or subsidy removal, could trigger internal conflicts in these countries.
