The police have dispersed some protesters who tried to block some major roads in the Tunga area of Minna on Thursday.

Following the nationwide August 1 to 10 hardship protest, some youth in Minna came out to protest.

Nigerians have taken to the streets nationwide, demanding good governance amidst the country’s bad economic situation.

The police began to fire tear gas when the protesters attempted to block the busy road to disperse them.

However, the protesters regrouped and tried to mount a roadblock, forcing the policemen to fire gunshots into the air to scare them away.

Police officers and vigilantes have since removed the big stones used by the protesters to barricade a section of the road.

Abubakar Muti, spokesman for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps stated that Minna had been peaceful until some youth decided to make bonfires with tyres to protest.

Mr Muti said that the corps and other security agencies have since taken over the black spots in Minna and its environment.

Efforts to speak with the police were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesman did not pick up calls put to him nor respond to messages. The situation in the state has led to the closure of shops, as traders fear potential looting.

This has led to crippling economic activities in the major markets in Minna and its environs.

Minna main market, Kasuwan gwari, Tungangoro market, Tunga market, Mobile and Total roundabout, which used to be busy, were almost empty.
Alhaji Idris Ibrahim, chairman of the Chanchaga Market Local Government Traders Union, stated that they directed traders to stay away from the markets to enable the union to study the situation regarding the protest.

“We have since studied the situation. The state capital is calm. We have just sent messages to our traders to come and open their shops,” he said.

Innocent Ani, a Minna main market trader, also said he would study the situation before opening his shop to prevent looting.

Abraham Nelson, a resident of Chanchaga who came to purchase foodstuffs for his family in the Tungangoro market, said that the low economic activities were not unconnected with the protest.

Mr Nelson advised the federal government to reason with the people by reducing the pump price of petroleum products to ease the current economic hardship.

Anas Usman, a trader in Minna’s main market stated that the traders feared losing their wares to thieves.

Mr Usman appealed to the Federal Government to subsidise the prices of food and petroleum products to stabilise the economy.

Few tricycle operators who came out to work lamented low patronage as many people stayed away to prevent being victims of the ongoing protest.

(NAN)