Photo credit: The PUNCH
According to a report by The PUNCH, some angry youths on Thursday staged a peaceful protest against the alleged oppressive rule of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
The youths, who are members of the #RevolutionNow and other groups, said Nigerians were suffering more than before despite the promises made by Buhari during his electioneering.
The protesters were forced to change the venue of their protest to a filling station along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as armed policemen took over Iwo Road, which they had planned to use for the protest.
They gathered at the filling station from where they eventually took off.
About 10 police cars and patrol vans were stationed at around Under Bridge, Iwo Road while major streets in Ibadan were also manned by police to prevent protests in the city.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of South-West had on Wednesday said the police would not allow any procession on October 1.
But the protesting youths said the police might have blocked them from using the popular space, they could not stop them from making known their displeasure on how the country was being managed.
The Chairman of #Revolutionnow in Oyo State, Rotimi Ogunlana, told The PUNCH that the hardship, insecurity, massive corruption among government appointees had become unbearable for Nigerians.
He said, “Nigeria is not working. At 60, we are worse than how we started and the government doesn’t want us to complain. Many Nigerians cannot eat more than once a day.
“Things are getting worse and that is why we have to come out and let them know that they can’t stop us. They prioritise their comfort above the basic needs of the majority.”
Another leader of the coalition, Akin Asifat, told our correspondent that October 1 was not worth celebrating in any way.
He said, “October 1 is not a day to be celebrated. There is no food, no electricity supply, there is a hike in the price of petrol and the masses are suffering. We need a peaceful revolution because things are not working.”
