There are fears in Niger State as a result of protests and hijack of truck carrying food by angry youths and women.
Earlier this month, some women protested high cost of living and the resultant hunger. The protest was later hijacked by some youths who took to the streets and blocked the Kpagungu axis of Minna-Bida Road.
The women were carrying placards with inscriptions such as “No food, we are dying of hunger,” and “Govt: Control food prices before we die of hunger.” They demanded for a better condition of living and reduction in cost of living.
The protesters caused traffic gridlocks on the ever-busy Minna-Bida Road, which is a link road to the South-Western part of the country from the North-Central and North West.
One Aisha Jibrin regarded as the initiator of the protest and 24 others were arrested but later released.
Again, two days ago (Thursday), some protesters hijacked trailers loaded with foodstuff in Suleja area prompting security agents to disperse them with force
This is the second major protest in the state and this time around, the youths blocked many trailers coming from Abuja enroute Kaduna.
The youths burnt tyres on the road and started pilfering bags of foodstuff like grains, rice and beans before the security operatives intervened by firing into the air to disperse them.
The youths had already carted away several bags of grains before the security intervention.
Sources hinted that a group had earlier planned a peaceful protest against extortion by some revenue collectors but the youths used the opportunity to hijack goods from the trailers.
They pilfered from the trucks chanting “we are hungry” as they carried away bags of rice, beans, flour and other foodstuff. Before security operatives could arrive, the truck loads of foodstuff were almost empty.
The Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun had confirmed that “there was a protest this morning along Kaduna Road, Suleja and the protest plan was not communicated to the Police. It was later discovered to be hijacked by some miscreants who blocked the highway.
“Area Commander, Suleja, ACP Sani Musa mobilised patrol teams to the scene, dispersed the protesters and the highway was cleared for free flow of traffic, however, monitoring continues.”
Niger State governor, Mohammed Bago attributed the biting hunger to activities of food speculators, and has issued an executive order to prevent food speculators from mopping food from the state.
He attributed the hunger protests to activities of food speculators who are mopping up foodstuff from local markets and making it scarce and costly for people to buy.
The governor told journalists that the protesters, acting on intelligence that some trucks loaded with food heading towards Abuja for storage will be passing through the route the protest took place, targeted the truckloads of foodstuff and looted them.
He alleged that some unidentified hoodlums mobilised women and youths to block the road and hijacked some trucks carrying foodstuff but the timely intervention of security agents thwarted their plans in Minna.
He disclosed that similar attempts were made on other trucks conveying foodstuff from Mokwa and Lapai local government areas of the state before security agencies stepped in and diverted the trucks.
While accusing food speculators who go to local markets to mop up foodstuff and transporting them out of the states to neighbouring states/countries, Bago said “I have decided to issue an executive order effective today to stop food speculators from invading our local markets with a view of mopping up farm produce.
“By this order, any truck found in any rural market, coming to load food supplies in bulk will be confiscated and the produce auctioned out immediately until further notice.”
The development in Suleja this week has further laid credence to the position of the governor, but to what extent does that permits youths and women protesters to hijack the truckloads of foodstuff along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway?
The chairman of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, North Central Zone, Comrade Abdullahi Jabi however said it is erroneous to think all trucks carrying foodstuff are from Niger State and as such were mopped from the local communities.
He said some of the foodstuff may be coming from neighbouring states and as such the youths should be called to order by ensuring that they are meaningful mobilised for productive ventures instead of looking for an easy way out.
Jabi also did not rule out the possibility that some politicians may be sponsoring it to make the government at both federal and state levels look bad.
The chairman of the coalition said the responsibility of engaging and mobilising youths should not be left to the executive alone but the legislature should also key in.
“You can see what is happening in states like Lagos, Ogun and others; it is at variance with what is happening in Niger specifically Niger East. The senators must engage the youths, not coming back only during elections to seek vote. The people should also be able to recall those who are not representing them well,” he declared.
LEADERSHIP Weekend observed that most of the hunger protests were in Niger East and when contacted, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa representing Niger East did not respond to the alleged alienation of the youths in his constituency unlike Niger South and North.
A prominent political actor in Minna, Yahaya Idrees had recently accused the senator of alienating himself from his constituency. Coincidentally, the hunger protests in Minna and Suleja were all in Niger East where the Senator was expected to embark on various empowerment programmes.
Some of those who spoke on the recent developments in Niger State and specifically Niger East suggested that the efforts must be collaborative and should not be left to the state government alone to shoulder.
On the implication of the recent developments psychologically, a social scientist, Mohammed Farouk said “the recent behaviour of youths in hitherto peaceful Niger State is as a result of economic and social deprivations.”
He said in the face of deprivations, people are bound to engage in many things to survive and they could become maladjusted to norms and values.
He therefore suggested that those representing them in positions of authority must show empathy “be it legislative or executive arms, let them show that they feel what the people are feeling. They should not display affluence when people are finding it difficult to eat.”
He said they must be servant leaders instead of outright display of arrogance and class in the face of difficulties.
