In a dramatic turn of events, hoodlums disrupted a protest by fish vendors in Suleja, Niger state. The protest was initially organized by fish sellers to express their frustration over the rapid increase in fish prices.
However, aggrieved youths hijacked the demonstration, turning it into a hardship protest.
According to Sadiq Bala, a candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) for the Suleja constituency, the fish vendors began their protest around 10 am on Thursday.
The trigger for their action was the sudden surge in the price of a carton of fish—from N34,000 the previous day to N48,000 that morning.
Passers-by joined the protest, effectively blocking the busy Abuja-Kaduna road and drawing attention to their plight.
The situation escalated when they commandeered a red Volkswagen loaded with pineapples, although the driver managed to escape.
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As the protest unfolded, Dangote and BUA trucks became targets. The protesters seized the trucks and began looting food items.
One of the trucks carried bags of rice, and the demonstrators overwhelmed the driver, even celebrating their success.
Security forces swiftly intervened. Soldiers and police from Suleja and Tafa arrived at the scene, dispersing the protesters with tear gas.
The Abuja-Kaduna highway was eventually cleared for traffic, but monitoring continues.
Wasiu Abiodun, the police spokesperson in Niger, confirmed the incident. He explained that the protest had not been communicated to the police beforehand and was later discovered to have been hijacked by miscreants.
This incident adds to the growing discontent over the high cost of living in Nigeria. Demonstrations have erupted in various parts of the country, fueled by skyrocketing food prices since the removal of petrol subsidies in May 2023.
