Commercial activities came to a halt on Thursday in Benin City, the Edo State capital, due to the nationwide hunger protest tagged #EndBadGovernance.
Protesters blocked major roads in the city, preventing motorists and commuters from accessing the city center. Those who attempted to cross the blockades faced resistance from the protesters and had to turn back.
The affected roads included the Uselu-Ugbowo-Oluku section of the Benin-Sagamu expressway, the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road, the Benin-Sapele road, and the Benin-Auchi road, among others.
Commercial banks and other public places, such as malls, supermarkets, and filling stations, were closed. A visit to the Edo State Civil Service Secretariat, the State House of Assembly, and other public institutions revealed that these were also closed due to the protest.
The protesters, under a coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), occupied King Square, the designated venue by the police, as early as 7:30 am. They danced and sang while expressing their grievances.
Men and officers of the Edo State Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Department of the State Service were on the ground to provide security to the protesters. A combined team of security personnel was also deployed to public institutions across the state.
Addressing the protesters, the Commissioner of Police in Edo, Funsho Adegboye, commended them for their peaceful conduct. The police commissioner distributed water, snacks, and biscuits to the protesters in appreciation of their peaceful behavior.
Comrade Olu Oluwa, Convener of Concerned Citizens of Edo State and a member of the CSO coalition stated that they were out to express their grievances to prompt the president to take action because there is hunger in Nigeria. He urged the federal government to reinstate the fuel subsidy to normalize the situation.
Comrade Kelly Osunbor, President of the Faculty of Peace in Nigeria, added that the protest aimed to draw both state and federal government attention to the suffering of Nigerians. He called on the federal government to bring back the fuel subsidy to address hunger in the country.