Officers and men of the Nigeria Police took over many parts of Ibadan as protesters, mostly youths, embarked on a peaceful end hunger protest across the state capital on Monday.
The law enforcement agents were seen in their dozens amid traffic logjam at Mokola Roundabout, Adamasingba, Ekotedo, Onireke, Sango, Bodija, Agbowo, Iwo Road and Ojoo, all in Ibadan.
At about 12noon, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Adewale, led more than 20 other police officers to Mokola Roundabout to complement those on ground.
When asked why the heavy police presence style scene of the protest, the Oyo Police image-maker told Newscoven.com that it was to forestall loosing and arson.
“Nobody is stopping any law-abiding Nigerian to embark on peaceful protest. However, whatever protest they want to embark must be within the ambit of the law.
“Some unscrupulous elements may want to seize the opportunity of the protest to wreck havoc that could lead to loss of lives and property. But we are here to prevent such a thing from happening.
“We particularly have to reinforce Mokola Roundabout with heavy security presence. We must protect the banks and other places of public interest around this place.
“We have to ensure that the protesters are well guided to avoid looting, arson and destruction of public property,” Osifeso further clarified.
The Oyo State Police Command had warned against any protests without prior notice to the police and authorisation before such action could be embarked upon.
It stated that some unscrupulous elements could hijack the protest for criminal purposes, adding that the security agency would not allow any form of violence that could lead to breach of public peace.
Defying the police warning, youths in their hundreds gathered at the Mokola Roundabout in the early hours of Monday, calling on President Bola Tinubu to address the issues of insecurity, economic hardship and hunger occasioned by escalating cost of food items, among problems in the country.
However, the protest was peaceful as there was heavy presence of security operatives to forestall any possible breakdown of law and order.
The combined security team of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS), as well as Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were also on ground to complement the Police.
Chant of ‘Ebi n pawa’ (We are hungry) rented the air as the protesters milled and moved around the Mokola Roundabout to register their displeasure with the state of things in the country.
The protesters said they were fed up with the current state of affairs in Nigeria and demanded for an immediate end to the pervading challenges across the country.
They also expressed concern about the high cost of living, which they said has made it difficult for the average man to afford basic necessities of life.
The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions bordering on the rising cost of living, escalating prices of food items, hunger in the country, economic hardship.
Among some of the inscriptions on the placards were “Mr President, This Is Not The Hope You Promised”; “This Is Shege”; “Is This The Renewed Hope That You Oromised?”; and “End Hardship”.
Others included “Do You Want To Rescue Our Population?”; “We Want Peace”; “No More Promise And Fail”; “Bring Back Our Real Nigeria”; “End Food Scarcity”; “Tinubu Must Address Insecurity” and “Hunger is Killing Us.”
The protesting youths called on government at all levels to urgently to take pragmatic steps to address the problems and make food become surplus and available in the country.
They called on President Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, address the pressing issues and do more to alleviate the suffering of the people by improving the economy.
The protesting youths moved from Mokola Roundabout to other parts of the state capital, including Sango, Agbowo, in continuation of their protest.
Though the protest has been peaceful so far, security personnel were stationed at some locations that were seen as flashpoints in case of breakdown of law and order in the course of the protest.
