There was a temporary standstill at the popular Rumuwoji (Mile 1) market axis of Ikwerre Road, Diobu, Port Harcourt on Tuesday as traders, business owners and other residents halted their activities to show solidarity with the End-bad-governance protesters.
The mammoth crowd of protesters had marched in from the Mile 3 axis of Ikwerre Road and were heading towards the government house at Nnamdi Azikiwe Road.
They also took the protest to the Railway market, Mile 1, near the Abali Park axis of Diobu, Port Harcourt. As the protesters got to the Amaechi Bus Stop and Rumuwoji Mile 1 market, many traders and shop owners temporarily abandoned their wares and shops and rushed out to hail and chant along with them in solidarity.
Those of them wielding leaves as a sign of the peacefulness of the protest either waved or dangled them in the process. Youths, women – including the pregnant ones -, teenagers, children, bus conductors and passengers, all joined in the frenzy of the peaceful protest, with most of them shouting as they moved: “Tinubu must go, Tinubu must go!”
In front of the Mile 1 Police Station, which is directly opposite the Rumuwoji (Mile 1) Market, some policemen stood watching the entire show.
Like the masses, motorists were not left out in the show of solidarity with the protesters as all vehicles plying Ikwerre Road attached green leaves in front.
Speaking to BusinesDay, one of the protesters, a heavily pregnant woman, said she decided to join the protest to demonstrate her anger over the intense hunger, hardship and poverty in the country.
She added that joining the protest despite her condition was a sacrifice she needed to make for the sake of her children and her unborn baby.
“I decided to join because am not happy the way things are. It’s my first time because my husband didn’t allow me to join since; he said am pregnant. But since I dey my shop today, I joined them when they came to Mile 3. Am not happy with this goverment. We’re hungry, poverty everywhere. Go to market, a cup of garri is N300, beans is N500, rice N400 a cup. What kind of goverment is this? What will my children eat? I have two children plus this one in my belle. It’s because of them I joined this protest. No hope at all. In fact we’re tired,” she said.
There was no looting or destruction of goods and property during the protest at the Mile 1 area of Diobu, Port Harcourt
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