Hunger: Markets, businesses shut as protests rock Dutse

Market men and women, shop owners and petty traders on Thursday in the Dutse area of Abuja, closed their shops for the fear of hoodlums and insecurity.

This development is due to the ongoing protest against hunger and economic hardship.

Speaking to Mr Abubakar Hassan, one of the vendors at the popular Dutse market, who watched protesters said, he did not want to open his shop to avoid hoodlums from breaking into his shop.

He said, “I came to see if there will be protest or not, so that I will open my shop, but there is protest, I can’t open my shop, I fear that they will steal my goods which is a lot of money, I will rather go home.

Another Pos agent, Ifeoma Anyanwu, who witnessed the protest firsthand said, “we watched to see if the protest will be violent but it wasn’t; they only burnt tires, afterwards the police men stopped them by opening teargas; but I will say it was peaceful on like other places.

We did not record any death or injury so far.” Vanguard also gathered that protesters were asked by Officers to avoid taking the protest into the highway, to make sure passersby are unharmed.

Speaking to a passerby, who identified himself as Abubakar Lawal said, “the protest to me was peaceful, no one was injured or harmed. We were not allowed to enter into the major roads, so that hoodlums will not cause havoc, so i believe we had a peaceful demonstration”.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/08/hunger-markets-businesses-shut-as-protests-rock-dutse/