By Our Reporters
SOME protesters on Thursday staged a peaceful procession in some major motor parks within Ibadan metropolis.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the planned nationwide protest resulted in closure of many shops within the city, while major markets were closed and streets deserted in some areas.
At Iwo road motor park, the protesters were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions, calling on government to find urgent solution to the economic hardship currently being faced by the masses.
NAN reports that the protest was carried out under the strict monitoring of a large number of security agents.
A driver at Iwo Road motor park, Mr Wale Adegboyega, lamented that the few buses that came to the park could not get passengers.
This, he said, was due to the fear that the protest might be hijacked by hoodlums, thus turning violent.
NAN reports that few commercial and private vehicles were seen plying major roads in areas such as Orita-Challenge, Ring Road, Challenge, Mobil, Mokola and Apata, Dizzengof-General Gas axis and Agodi-Gate.
Some Amotekun corps were also stationed at Egbeda junction, while a team of police operatives were seen at Ibadan-Ife tollgate and Brewery junction.
NAN also reports that some major markets like Gbagi, Bodija, Dugbe, Apata, Ojoo and Aleshinloye, among others, were closed, though inter-state commercial buses were seen outside Gbagi market waiting for passengers.
Most filling stations were within the metropolis were closed, while most offices, banks and shops were under lock and key, though the entire city remained calm as at the time of filing this report.
Many public and public schools were deserted, as students refused to turn up, while some children who were supposed to be in school were seen playing football.
NAN also observed that security agencies were stationed in some strategic locations, such as malls, banks, government offices and hotels, among others to prevent attack by hoodlums.
However, the Chairman of Omi-Adio Market Association, Mr Tajudeen Oladepo, told NAN that there was no any protest whatsoever in the area.
“We don’t want any problem in our area; people are free to come out and sell their wares. Omi-Adio is very peaceful now. There is no problem.
“No fewer than 177 villages converge in the market here to sell their goods; the market is for farmers and nobody is interested in any protest here,” he said. (NAN)
