Protesters block roads in Minna over high cost of living

Residents of Minna, the Niger State capital, on Monday, protested the high cost of living in the country, blocking major roads within the metropolis.

The protesters including women and youths were heard chanting protest songs, while security agents including policemen looked on.

The protesters said the rising cost of food items and poor government efforts to arrest the situation forced them to block major roads so that the government would hear their cry.

The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba, while addressing the protesters, said the government is aware of the pain and hardship families are faced with at this time.

He said the government is working towards reducing the cost of living and the consequences of the petrol subsidy removal.

Efforts by the police to control the crowd almost resulted in violence as protesters asked police to leave, forcing the police to fire several shots in the air to disperse them.

More soon….