Protesters on Monday blocked the Niger State express road between Abuja and Kaduna to voice their dissatisfaction with the current economic hardship in Nigeria.
Carrying placards with messages such as “Hardship Is Unbearable,” “Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back,” “Stop Anti-Masses Policies,” “Enough is Enough,” and “We Are Not Slaves In Our Country,” the demonstrators marched through the Abuja-Kaduna expressway in Suleja LGA of Niger State, chanting anti-government slogans.
Despite repeated appeals from state governors and President Bola Tinubu urging youths to cancel the August 1-10 demonstrations, the protests continued. Law enforcement agencies have expressed concerns that the protests could be hijacked by hoodlums and “unscrupulous agents.”
Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), warned that the August protest could cost the economy about N4 trillion. In a statement made available to THE WHISTLER, Yusuf highlighted the potential daily loss of N400 billion if the protests are not properly managed. “The consequences of such a huge loss for the country and the citizens would be very severe,” he stated.
Yusuf also noted the high risk of shutdowns and disruptions in major sectors of the economy, emphasizing the fragile state of Nigeria’s economic situation.
