Youths in Niger State have taken to the streets to protest the ongoing cost of living crisis in Nigeria, wielding placards with messages such as “Enough is Enough” and “Stop Anti-Masses Policies”. The protesters, who marched on the streets and chanted anti-government songs, declined to speak with our correspondent when approached.
Despite efforts by the Federal and State governments to prevent the protest, citing concerns of potential hijacking by hoodlums and enemies of democracy, the demonstration went ahead.
Last week, Governor Mohammed Bago had announced welfare packages to mitigate the economic hardship, including a N20,000 wage allowance for civil servants and the release of 50,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains at subsidised rates.
The governor also pledged to slash food prices by 90 per cent by the end of the year and gifted one Prado Jeep to each head of security agency in the state as a token of appreciation for their efforts in combating criminal activities.
However, these efforts appear to have done little to assuage the frustrations of the protesters.
