3 months ago
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The protest against hunger and bad governance continues in Port Harcourt and its environs on Tuesday as youths blocked a section of the East-West Road in Rivers State.
This came as the police restricted the protest to two venues, the Isaac Boro Park and the Pleasure Park both in the city centre.
Also, the protesters who defied the directive of President Bola Tinubu to end the protest have shared themselves into groups burning tyres and blocking roads.
At about 9 am on Tuesday, the protesters blocked the Obiri-Kwere axis of the East-West Road and the Rumiokoro end leaving motorists stranded.
The protesters displayed placards with inscriptions, chorusing antigovernmental songs, and called on President Tinibu to resign, even as they vowed to continue the protest.
One of them, identified as Igbaki, said, “We will not get tired of this protest till day ten. We are tired and hungry and we say no to bad governance in Nigeria.
“The President’s broadcast is nothing to write home about because he didn’t address any of the issues we raised for embarking on this protest. Tinubu must go, he has failed. ”
As the protest grew some of the youths dragged down trees on the East-West road making the gridlock tighter.
Some vehicles quickly made a detour to find escape routes, while many motorists placed leaves on their vehicles to show solidarity with the protesters.
Some of the protesters made brisk business selling leaves to owners of vehicles trapped in the gridlock for between N100 and N200.
The other group of protesters converged at the Federal Secretariat and moved to the Ikwerre Road axis of Diobubin Port Harcourt as traffic built up in the area, while many vehicles made U-turns to their destinations.
The escalating protest has created an uneasy tension in the state as frightened commuters were seen with leaves trekking to their destinations.
Speaking, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the restriction of the protesting venue is because the youths are infringing on the rights of others.
She stated, “We have restricted the protest to the Isaac Boro Park and the Pleasure Park to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
“As we speak they have started infringing on the rights of others and we (Police) will not allow that. We are calling on them to stay with these two venues or else anyone that floats this will be arrested and prosecuted.”
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