• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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#ENDSARS: Commuters, motorists stranded in Benin as Youths barricade highways

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Motorists in and out of Benin City and residents on Sunday have a hectic time getting to their various destinations as #ENDSARS protesters blocked Benin -Lagos expressways from Oluku junction, Ovia North-East local government to after Uwasota junction in Oredo local government.

The protesters, also blocked Benin- Auchi expressways, Benin- Agbor , Ekenwa, Textile mill, Okhoro, Lawani and other major roads within the Benin metropolis.

The passengers from Lagos state and from other parts of South -West to Benin City have to embarked on a long trekked to where they can get available vehicle at an exorbitant cost while those travelling to a long distant from and in of the city borne the brunt of spending several hours in getting out of the logjam occasioned by the protest.

A passenger from Ondo state who simply gave his name as Adeyemi said he trekked from Oluku by-pass to Uwasota junction before he could get vehicle to his New Benin area , at the exorbitant fare of N300 as against N100.

He said to make the situation worse, the protesters were cooking on the road, he however, called on president Muhammadu Buhari to call the protesters across the country for a roundtable discussion with a view of addressing their demands.

A Benin resident, who also spoke to newsmen decried the non-challant attitude of the federal government towards addressing the demands of the protesters.

The resident, who pleaded anonymity, lamented the ways some of the protesters are harassing motorists and other passer-by.

He however, enjoined them to take cue from those protesting in Lagos state, who are civil in going about the protest.

The gridlock has to force many car owners trekking to churches for Sunday worship, others including heath workers and persons on essential services who had to report for duty abandoned their vehicles on the road to make themselves available at their various workplace.

#ENDSARS protesters barricaded Ekenwa road, cooking, playing football, bonfire on the road on Sunday. Pics by Idris Momoh & Churchill Okoro

At the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), which is a stone throw from the University of Benin, Ugbowo main campus, one of the major spot for the #EndSARS protest, some medical personnel reported for work having parked their vehicles several kilometres away from the hospital.

Some medical doctors on duty, were, however seen attending to one of the protesters said to have been involved in an accident during the protest at the UBTH/UNIBEN main gate.

The patient who is a minor was rushed to the Children Emergency(CHER) of UBTH on a motorbike accompanied by many of the protesters on foot and was received without any delay by the medical team on ground to ensure his safety.

Church-goers and other commuters on were also stranded as protesters blocked major routes hindering vehicular movement from rural areas to Benin metropolis.

At Ekenwan road, one of the major blocked roads, it was observed that the protesters set bonfire, and chanted songs demanding for a better Nigeria, good governance and better leadership.

One of the stranded church-goers, who craved anonymity lamented that she can no longer go to the house of God because of the barricades.

“I don’t have any choice but to return to my house. I think it’s time the president find a way out. Nothing stops him from addressing the nation”. He said.

Another commuter, who simply identified herself as Victoria urged the federal government to listen to the protesters and address the demands, noting that it is for the best interest of the country.

The protesters turned the road to football pitch as they equally set bonfire fire and cooked rice to feed themselves.

The bonfire and complete blockage of the slope area of the road hindered commuters going to Upper Ekewan road, Ugbiyioko, Evbuotubu, and other areas to be stranded, thereby forcing them to resort to trekking several kilometers before getting another vehicle to convene them to their destinations.

In an interview, one of the protesters, Collins Omorogie, said though the protest was against the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) and its injustice melted on Nigerians, noted that the injustice in the country as of today cuts across board hence they are demanding for justice in all spheres.

Omorogie who rapped himself with the Nigeria green white green wrapper said injustice is apparent across the three arms of government in the country.

“The injustice in our three arms of government and many more are what we are protesting against today in the strongest term. We are saying no to corruption; we are saying no to nepotism; we are saying no to embezzlement; we are saying no to fail leadership,” he added.

He lamented that even with the high rate of educated ones in the country, unemployment is going higher, opining that people in less developed countries with lesser education live a better life than Nigerians.

He said the act of knowing who is who in the country before an ordinary person could get a position or better job should be put to an end.

“We are calling for better Nigeria; we are calling for a country whereby a son of the ordinary man who has the right qualities and qualifications can get into the helms of affairs and determined what happened in the nation and give us good governance.

” Part of this protest is reformation of our police. There are also government agencies, parastatals that need total reform. But most importantly we are protesting and demanding for a total restructuring of the country.

“We need a government that is corrupt free. We need a government that will say no to embezzlement. We need a government that will say no to nepotism” he said.

At the Benin-Auchi and Benin-Agbor road, the youths set bonfire on the roads, singing and dancing.

It learnt that drivers paid between N100 and N200 to pass through the blockage at the Auchi -Benin by-pass.

A Benin-Auchi bound passenger, who gave her name as Mrs Momodu lamented that the youths are bringing unnecessary hardship to road users.

” I left Auchi by 9am and this is 4pm, I am just entering Benin City. This is a journey of two hours and this is 4pm, I have not reach my destination.

“The youths are now using the protest as money making, they are collecting money from drivers who take the bush path to beat the road block,” she said.

One of the protesters who gave his name as John Osarodion, said they will continue the protest until the federal government answered all their demands to end police brutality and other excesses including bad governance.

He said the agitations have gone beyond #EndSARS but that President Muhhamdu Buhari should resign as president of Nigeria.

Businesses in areas the protests took place such as petrol stations, car wash, barbers’ shops, provisions shops quickly closed while the demonstrators had a free day playing football on the road, smoking and drinking.

The protesters had been on the streets in parts of Benin for twelve days counting and have vowed to sustain the momentum until the agitation for a better Nigeria is realized.