Kano State
Hundreds of young girls, ladies and elderly women joined their male counterparts to participate in the Hardship protest today, Thursday, August 1, in the metropolitan area of Kano.
Our correspondent, who visited some of the protesting grounds, spotted these ladies along Jaba area in Ungogo Local Government Area and along Hausa, Airport Road by Brigade areas, as the protest progressed.
It was observed that the female protesters who were occupying the areas, were complemented by a number of young men who migrated from neighbouring small towns to participate in the protest.
The protesters, who sat in the middle the main road, amid a very light traffic, displayed various placards denouncing the Federal Government and “the current hardship it has brought upon the country,” as one the protesters put it.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards written in Hausa language accused the government of imposing pains and hardship on Nigerians while some expressed total rejection of the administration
Meanwhile, there was a sense of peace as the police personnel related well with the protesters.
But trouble soon reared its ugly head when hundreds of protesters stormed the offices of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) along State Road in Kano metropolis and set a portion of it ablaze.
The newly built and ready-for-commissioning NCC office, was looted and set on fire by protesters.
At another end of the protest, an official vehicle of Arewa Radio was vandalized; the rear glass of the branded car was destroyed earlier in the day by angry protesters at in front of the Government House.
Trouble started when some of the protesters were vandalizing some government properties outside the Government House, an action that met police resistance.
The policemen fired teargas to disperse the protesters, who, in return, started throwing stones at any vehicle in sight.
The radio news team, comprising two reporters and a driver of the damaged vehicle, narrowly escaped attack.
Meanwhile, business activities were largely closed in many parts of the state as many residents remained indoors. Businesses which initially opened quickly shut down in the face of the protests.
Cross River
Hardship protest grounds economic activities in Calabar
Economic activities were been grounded in Calabar, the Cross River State capital as a result of the #EdnBadGovernance protests which commenced today, Thursday, August 1, nationwide.
Businesses across the metropolis, including banks and government offices remained under lock and key.
Civil and public servants massively stayed away from their offices, which remained largely shut as people were not permitted to access the offices.
At the popular Etim Edem Market, virtually all the shops in the centre were shut for business.
Some traders who preferred to speak off record said they decided to shut down because of fears of being punished by the protesters.
Similarly, financial institutions within the Metropolis particularly those along Calabar Road, were not open for business.
Twenty-four hours before the protest, over 20 associations including the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and Civil Society Organisations dissociated themselves from the protests.
Ogun State
Heavy security in Abeokuta, as MKO Abiola Stadium, designated protest venue, is empty
In Ogun State, as of 9:45 am on Thursday, no single protester had been at the Moshood Abiola International Stadium, Abeokuta, the designated venue for the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters in the state capital.
This may be due to the order of an Ogun State High Court on Wednesday which ordered the sponsors of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests to limit their activities to four locations in the state.
The court also restricted the time frame of the protests to between 8 am and 5 p.m.
The four locations are the MKO Stadium, Abeokuta; Ansar-ud-Deen Comprehensive High School, Ota; Remo Divisional High School, Sagamu; and Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode.
However, a visit to the stadium this morning only revealed a heavy security presence without any protesters in sight.
Aside heavy presence of police and other security officers manning the stadium, there was also a detachment of soldiers in strategic locations across the state capital to forestall the breakdown of law and order,
Meanwhile, banks in the state capital shut their doors. Shops along major roads were also not open for business as vehicles, especially privately owned cars are few.
However, at about 11:20am, some 20 protesters arrived at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, chanting anti-government slogans, armed with placards bearing various messages to drive home their grievances.
Some of the placards read “End bad governance in Nigeria, “We are after peace and progress of Nigeria, “Food inflation is killing us, “Dapo Abiodun fix Ogun State roads” among others.
Speaking with newsmen, one of the protesters, Olayemi Bolutife, said that the protest was aimed at bringing to the notice of the government the need to address the hardship Nigerians are currently battling with
“We have right to protest against whatever is not in the interest of Nigerians and the truth is that people are suffering, people are hungry, our leaders should not turn the country to palliatives country, that is what we are saying.
“The President never promised to impose this great hardship on Nigerians, our leaders can’t continue to carry on as if all is well, we are suffering and this is becoming too much. The policies of the government must be tailored in such a way that life would be made easier for all whether you are educated or not”, he stated.
The protesters arrived shortly after the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu and the Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, David Ojelabi left the stadium
The protesters did not enter into the stadium but were seen pacing up and down the front of the stadium to pass across their messages. They were monitored by the security agencies who had been deployed to the venue earlier in the morning.
Speaking in an interview earlier, the State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, David Ojelabi also confirmed reports of about 20 protesters who were said to have engaged in a peaceful protest around Ibadan Road in Ijebu-Ode.
The Commandant said, “We have gone round the Abeokuta metropolis and everywhere is calm, even shops that were not opened before are now opening for business.
“The report we also received from the other two senatorial districts, that is Ogun West and Ogun East is that everywhere is peaceful except in Ijebu-Ode where about 20 were said to be protesting peacefully.
“So we urge people to go about their normal businesses as the security agencies are on ground to ensure that everyone is secured and safe”.
Kogi State
Protest: Kogi residents shun protest as Gov Ododo engages youths at Govt house
Shunning the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, which started today, Thursday, August 1, residents of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, simply went about their normal daily, even as security operatives from various agencies occupied major roads in the state capital.
The kogi state government had tactically organized various programmes tagged Youths’ summit at the seat of power so as to take away the attention of the youths in the state from the scheduled protest.
The Youth Summit drew youths from the 21 local government areas of the State to the Glass House, as Kogi Government House, Lokoja, is known, where the Governor and some of his cabinet members have been meeting with them.
Earlier, various youth groups in Kogi had disassociated themselves from the planned protest, assuring the government of their preference for the youth summit organised by the state’s Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Meanwhile, business ventures in the state capital such as banks and corporate offices remained open for business as residents went about their normal activities.
Also regular activities were ongoing at the popular Ganaja Flyover in Lokoja although there was a heavy security presence when correspondents visited the area.
Taraba: Protesters take to the streets demanding to bad governance
Taraba
In Jalingo, protesters, mostly very young Almajiris, took to the streets to protest against bad governance, calling for an end to hunger.
The protesters who, at the time of this report, had taken over the Hamaruwa Way in Jalingo, the State capital, causing traffic hold-up on both sides of the road in the process and chanting “Tinubu de kainshi ba mu ai” (we would not agree with Tinubu).
Our Correspondent who monitored today’s protest in town noted that until 10am, most streets in the town were deserted and everywhere was calm until a few children started the protest and were massively joined by the crowd.
There was, however, massive deployment of security around the town even as security followed the protesters around town to ensure orderliness.
Nasarawa
Protesters in Lafia demand reversal of fuel subsidy removal
A group of protesters, all male, gathered at the popular Total roundabout in Lafia, the state capital, to demand the reversal of the fuel subsidy removal.
The protest, which began in the early hours of this morning, Thursday, August 1, saw the protesters chanting slogans and holding placards.
Despite the protest, some shops remained open, while others were closed.
Some state and federal institutions, including the Justice Sidi Bage Federal Secretariat and the State Ministry of Education, witnessed low traffic of workers coming and going.
One of the protesters, who didn’t want to be on record, said: “We are here to protest the removal of fuel subsidy. We are hungry, and the government needs to provide good governance.”
“We are not afraid, even when they intimidated us before today. We will continue to protest until our demands are met,” he added.
The protesters called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the fuel subsidy removal, saying it has caused untold hardship for Nigerians.
“We are suffering, and the government needs to take responsibility,” another protester said.
The protest was peaceful, with no reports of violence or clashes with security agents.
The protesters, however, vowed to continue their protest until their demands are met, saying they will not be silenced.
“We will continue to protest until the government listens to us,” a protester said.
The protest in Lafia came as a reflection of the growing discontent among Nigerians over the fuel subsidy removal and the government’s handling of the economy.
Enugu
Economic activities paralysed as protests witness slow start in Enugu
Economic activities were paralyzed in Enugu as some residents joined the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests which started across the nation today, Thursday, August 1.
Banks, petrol stations, eateries and markets were deserted as most residents remained indoors.
Also, commercial transport operators offered skeletal services, while teams of security operatives were seen patrolling major parts of the metropolis.
There were also military checkpoints in several places including New Haven, Ogui road, Gariki and Independence Layout.
However, a pocket of protesters who were seen with placards and chanting anti-government songs marched from Naira Triangle through New Haven, Ogui Road, Presidential Road and terminated at Okpara square.
The protesters numbering about 50 converged under the Office of the Citizens Federal Republic of Nigeria, displayed placards with inscriptions, “End corruption in Nigeria; say no to corruption; End hardship, Let our vote count; Free INEC; Reduce fuel price, listen to youths’ cry.”
Speaking at the end of the protest, the leader of the youths, Onyebuchi Igboke accused President Bola Tinubu of being insensitive to the plight of hungry Nigerians, adding that the protest will continue until the president meets their demands.
“We are protesting because the president is highly insensitive to the hardship across the country. We all can agree that in this country everyone is suffering. Whether you are Christian, Muslim or even unbelievers, we are all suffering. We are united in suffering. Whenever it comes to a solution, we are divided.
“The idea is that politicians have mastered the art of divide and rule. Now you will be hearing some voices from the South East, from the Northern part, from the South West, they will be telling us to endure. Endure till when? What are the chances that the government is doing as if they have direction?
“By now we are supposed to have a clear direction as to where the government is going. Should we talk about the refineries that are not working? Should we talk about hunger? Should we talk about insecurity up North or down here in the South East and across the country? Should we talk about the unemployment rate? Should we talk about dollar increases day by day?
“What is the government doing exactly to address this to meet the needs of the priority. As of this morning we know that the fuel is sold at N800 to N900. What are the indicators that things will be done right? I am happy that we came out in our numbers to solidarise with other Nigerians across the country”.
“We are calling on the president to begin to cut down on the cost of governance. Let him reduce his cabinet. He should fight corruption. Why did he remove the fuel subsidy? Up till this moment, you did not go after those who are benefiting from it.
“It is like the president is also benefiting from this corruption. So he should go after these people so we can begin to use our money to solve our problems. We are tired of this as a nation. We are tired. We are continuing this protest until the president does the needful.
“On behalf of my fellow protesters, the office of the citizen, federal republic of Nigeria, which is the highest office in the land, I say we are not going to give up, we will continue to land, I say we are not going to give up.
“We are going to continue. We are telling the people that the security agencies are not going to suppress you. Democracy is about your voice but be peaceful about it”, he said.
