By Funso Alarape
Monday February 19, 2024
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Some residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday, took to the streets of the metropolis, protesting over the high cost of living, the hike in food prices, and the current economic hardship in the country.
Beginning from the Mokola area of the town, the placard-carrying youths chanted songs to drive home their points, moving to other parts of the town.
Recall that the Oyo State Police Command, had in a statement on Sunday, warned of unlawful protest, maintaining that it had not received any formal notification of such development.
In the statement signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olawale Osifeso, the police described the protesters as faceless individuals and groups.
“The Oyo State Police Command wishes to inform members of the public, particularly residents of Oyo State, that it has emplaced prompt and adequate measures to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order in the state as a result of plans by faceless agents of mischief to spark up chaos via protests in the state commencing tomorrow, Monday within the capital.
“While the command respects the right of citizens to a peaceful procession, it is sacrosanct to guide against any violation of public order as law enforcement must be carried along to chart the course of the procession in a conscious bid to protect the lives and property.
“Worthy of mention is that, the Oyo State Police Command was never approached and is yet to be approached by any individual or group in this regard.
“Consequent upon the above, the organisers, through their actions and most importantly inactions, would be opening a portal for unscrupulous elements to hijack the process, thus escalating the situation into full-scale chaos which might, in turn, lead to attacks on places of critical interests within the capital.
“To this end, parents, guardians, and leaders of all degrees of influence are to prevail on their children, wards, and protegees against being used by agents of anarchy who would want to take undue advantage of the situation to destroy the relative peace enjoyed in the state,” the statement read in part.
Just as Osifeso said, as early as 6:00 a.m. on Monday, detachments of armed policemen had been stationed at strategic places around the Mokola Roundabout area of the state, believed to be where the protest would take off.
This was apart from deployment seen in other parts of Ibadan like Sango, U.I., and others.
But defying the police warning, the protesters, who also passed through other major areas within the Ibadan metropolis, converged, calling on President Bola Tinubu to immediately address the raging issues of insecurity, economic hardship, and hunger being faced by Nigerians.
Apart from Mokola, they also moved around areas like Sango, U.I., and Iwo Road among others.
They said they were fed up with the current state of affairs in the country and demanded for immediate end to the crisis.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards they carried were “End Food Hike And Inflation,” “The Poor Is Starving,” “Tinubu, Don’t Forget Your Promises,” “Tinubu Must Address Insecurity” and “Hunger is Killing Us,” among others.
However, it is noteworthy that despite the apprehension that the news of the proposed protest had generated at the weekend, children still went to school and there was a free flow of traffic at spots where the procession had not gotten to.
Some residents who spoke with journalists during and after the protest said they were relieved that they were disappointed that the crowd was not as anticipated.
As of the time of filing this report, there was yet a case of any fracas and no knowledge of when the protest would end.
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