Amidst the prevailing economic challenges marked by a high inflation rate and the consequent surge in living expenses across Nigeria, a significant number of Minna residents took to the streets on Monday, February 5, 2024, to voice their discontent.
The protesters, comprising women and youths, blocked major roads within the city while expressing their grievances through protest songs. Law enforcement officers, including the police, were present at the scene.
The demonstrators, who identified themselves as concerned consumers, voiced their concerns about the escalating prices of essential food items. They also criticized the government for what they perceived as insufficient efforts to address the distressing situation. By blocking the roads, they aimed to draw the attention of the relevant authorities and call for immediate action to alleviate the rampant inflation affecting the Nigerian economy.
In response to the protest, Yakubu Garba, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, addressed the assembled demonstrators. He acknowledged the hardships faced by families due to the current economic conditions and assured them that the state government was actively working to reduce the cost of living and mitigate the consequences of the recent removal of petrol subsidies. It is worth noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had announced the discontinuation of the controversial fuel subsidy in his inaugural address on Monday, May 29, 2023. However, many Nigerian consumers attribute the current surge in inflation and rising living costs to the impact of this subsidy removal.