Protest erupts in Ibadan as youths block roads over economic hardships in Nigeria

A protest erupted in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, on Monday over the economic hardships caused by the policies of President Bola Tinubu.

The protesters, who were mostly youths, blocked major roads in the city to express their grievances over the rising cost of living in the country.

Youths of Ibadan, the largest city, by land mass, asked the government to address the issue of hunger in the country, saying that they were fed up with the situation.

The placard-carrying protesters chanted anti-government songs, while security agents looked on.

Some of the placards have inscriptions such as ‘Open Border, End Hardship’, ‘End food hike and inflation’, ‘The poor are starving’, and ‘Tinubu, don’t forget your promises’, among others.

Recall that a similar protest occurred in Minna, the capital of Niger State, two weeks ago. Hundreds of women and youths blocked roads over the high cost of living in the country.

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had also declared a two-day nationwide mass protest slated for February 27 and 28 over the biting hardship in the country.

The country’s food inflation rate rose from 33.93% in December to 35.41% in January.

A medium-sized sliced bread priced at N750 in January 2023 has seen a 33 percent increase, now sold at N1,000. The cost of a piece of egg doubled from N100 to N200, and the cost of a crate of eggs rose from N2,200 to N3,500 within the same period.

Also, foreign parboiled rice in a 50 kg bag ranges between N70,000 and N77,000, compared to N34,000 to N36,000 last year. Local parboiled rice in a 50 kg bag now sells for N55,000 to N65,000, up from N30,000 to N34,000 in January 2023.

A derica measure of beans has surged from N450 to N1,100, and a 25-litre container of vegetable oil is now priced at N45,000, a significant increase from N22,000 last year. A paint container measure of garri has doubled in price, reaching N2,000 from N1,000 in the same period last year.