By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Some groups of protesters in Jos have said they are protesting against the bad policies of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Federal Government led by Bola Tinubu’s Administration and not the government of Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State.
The group said the hunger in the country is caused by the federal government policies which are being suffered by citizens all over the country.
Speaking to a youth who was protesting amongst other groups of people in Jos on Thursday, he said Mutfwang has done a lot to ameliorate the sufferings of people as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, but the increasing price of foodstuffs in the market is alarming, he said.
The youth who does not want his name on print said in some homes, families can hardly feed a day.
He said they are not on the streets to unleash violence but to let the government know that their policies are rather too harsh for them to bear.
However, moving round the city to catch a glimpse of how the people were reacting to the hunger protest, our correspondent observed that shops, markets and banks within the metropolis were practically open.
Traders at the market were seen discussing in groups about the situation in the country, with many expressing concern about the impact of the protest on their businesses.
A shop owner, who simply identified himself as James, told our correspondent that “I don’t know what the protest would turn into, so other traders and I have decided to hang around our shops to monitor the situation”.
The situation was the same at the major streets in the town of Jos, with however, few vehicles plying the roads.
The protest, which was peaceful, also saw a small group of protesters marching through the streets, carrying placards and chanting slogans.
Also, on the other hand, a large group of irate youths were also sighted with green leafs chanting songs in Hausa that was interpreted in English to be “We don’t want Tinubu”.
However, the Plateau State government had earlier rejected the protest, citing security concerns, but the protesters were undeterred.
Apart from the irate youths cited around the popular Jos main market who would have triggered violence if not for the heavy presence of security operatives, the protest was generally peaceful as at the time of filing this report.
Our correspondent reports that the hunger protest was part of the national protest across the country which began Thursday August 1, 2024 and to end on the 10th of August 2024 to press home the sufferings occasioned with the removal of the fuel subsidy on May 29th, 2023.
