*Protest Starts In Niger State

*Soldiers Mount Roadblock On Route 72 In Abuja Ahead Of Protest

THE Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has announced a 4pm curfew for the planned August 1 to 10 nationwide protest against pressing national issues, including poverty, inflation, insecurity and indeed, bad governance.

This action, which aims to limit the duration of the protest, has been roundly condemned by many Nigerians, who saw it as a curb on their fundamental human rights, an attempt to stifle dissent and manipulate public expression.

Some social media users questioned the rationale behind the curfew, pointing out that societal issues, such as hunger and hardship, do not adhere to a time limit, saying the move reflects a disconnect between the government and the citizens’ struggles, with many accusing the Police of overstepping their bounds by imposing arbitrary restrictions.
    Meanwhile, protesters in Niger State have taken to the streets, blocking the Kaduna Road, which connects Abuja to Kaduna State, three days ahead of a planned protest.

 The protesters, bearing placards with different inscriptions, including “We Are Not Slaves,” “Enough is Enough” and “Hardship Is Unbearable,” kicked against the rising cost of living and effect of the removal of petrol and other subsidies being implemented by the President Bola Tinubu administration.
      To starve off the protest, the federal government has been engaging traditional rulers, clerics and other community leaders in talks to diffuse tensions and prevent the planned protests.       

Military and Police authorities also feared that the protest could be hijacked by hoodlums to cause violence. And to ensure security of lives and properties, as well as forestall any violence, the military, on Monday, July 29,  and blocked the Keffi-Abuja expressway, causing severe traffic bottlenecks, ahead of the protest.

Commuters traveling on the expressway faced traffic disruptions as military personnel set up a roadblock at Sani Abacha Barracks, near the AYA roundabout, The traffic snarl extended to Nyanya Bridge, which is over 12 kilometers away, in what looked like a stop-and-search operation on vehicles entering Abuja.
    The gridlock adversely affected civil servants and traders commuting from areas like Nyanya, Karu, Maraba and Masaka, who were forced to turn back after being on the spot for hours.