MANY Nigerians thronged to the marketplaces on Wednesday, July 31 to buy foodstuffs and other commodities in the agitation of the planned protest.
On Thursday, July 31, an ICIR reporter visited some markets in Lagos and Ogun states and observed there was an unusual crowd of people buying one commodity or the other.
Similarly, the reporter observed at some filling stations that commuters and other individuals were buying petroleum products in larger quantities.
Aggrieved Nigerians under the umbrella of #EndBadGovernance planned to hit the streets, starting August 1, 2024, to protest the untold economic hardship faced by the citizens since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
The protest seems to model the 2020 EndSARS protest under ex-president Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as there are no principal organisers.
The “Hunger Protest”, as it is referred to, has generated mixed reactions from the government and prominent personalities within the administration as well as opposition parties, security agencies, and civil societies, The ICIR reported.
The planned protest against hunger and bad governance is expected to last for 10 consecutive days.
Ahead of the protest, many Nigerians on Thursday trooped to various markets to buy foodstuffs and other commodities in the eventuality that business activities were disrupted during the days of the protest.
The ICIR reporter visited the major Mile 12 market in Lagos, the mini market in Mowe, Ogun State, and a few street markets.
At the Mile 12 market, many sellers were hassling to sell as many goods as possible.
“We want to sell the market we can sell today, we do not know what will happen tomorrow,” Abdullahi Hasdan, a tomato seller said.
At the various markets visited, the price of commodities was still very high as buyers were seen transferring their aggression to the sellers.
Although it is a season for the harvesting of yam products, a small size tuber of yam sells for N2,000 and above at the market. Onion, pepper, and tomato were shielded at N1,000 and above.
A bag of onions sells for N95,000 and above and a bag basket of tomato or pepper at N50,000 and above, the reporter observed.
“I came to the market with my mother to buy things. You can see, things are very cost,” a woman who gave her name as Titilayo Adeleye said.
All of the people The ICIR spoke with said they supported the planned protest, but a few added that the protesters should not use it to disturb other people who want to go about their usual business.
“I don’t know if the market will open tomorrow, if it opens I will come,” a yam seller at the Mile 12 market said.
The yam seller refused to mention his name to the reporter and said he was less concerned about the planned protest. “If the protest holds, I will be in my house, if it does not hold, I’ll come to the market.”
At filling stations, customers were seen buying petroleum products in larger quantities in the agitation of the planned protest.
At a Petrocam filling station in Mowe, one Stephen Jagun purchased diesel into 25 litres gallons. He bought over 25 gallons of that size and loaded it into a tricycle, known as Keke Napep.
“The protest is very necessary. The level of hunger and suffering we are going through I can’t imagine it. If you look at it, protests have been going on since the day we started democracy, but the suffering then wasn’t as bad as this.
“Now, it is even getting worse. I support it,” he agitated.
Asked whether the over 25 gallons of diesel he bought was for resale, he said it was for personal consumption.
“We run a hotel. We don’t know what will happen. That is why we are buying all these gallons of diesel,” he explained.