On Saturday, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Edo State announced their decision to pull out from the nationwide protest against bad governance and hunger.
During a press briefing in Benin, Curtis Ugbebor, one of the protest leaders, cited an intelligence report as the reason for their withdrawal, emphasizing the need for a strategic reassessment.
Explaining their stance, Ugbebor stated, “Based on current intelligence, the CSO is retracting from the protest temporarily to strategize. However, this should not discourage other Nigerians who wish to voice their concerns.
“It is noteworthy that we have already made significant progress and outlined our grievances, which we expect the government to address. Importantly, this has been achieved without any violence or property damage.”
“We will persist in ensuring that both federal and state governments attend to the demands of Edo State residents.”
Another protest leader, Emmanuel Ogude, called on the government to eradicate hunger in the country, proposing that politicians should earn no more than the minimum wage.
“Any politician seeking to serve should be subject to the national minimum wage, considering the widespread hunger. Our demands include a rollback of electricity tariffs and fuel prices to previous levels and immediate repairs of all federal roads leading to Edo State. We expect the government to heed our call.”
Meanwhile, at Ring Road, the designated protest location, demonstrators gathered in large numbers, dancing to music before proceeding around the area.
However, organizers grew cautious when a new group joined the protest midway.
Ero, a member of the planning committee, mentioned that the group was being closely monitored as the organizers remained committed to a peaceful demonstration.
Security personnel, including the police, were present to safeguard the protesters and secure all entry points to prevent any potential disruption by troublemakers.
Local businesses along Lagos Street and Oba Market operated as usual, with residents taking advantage of the situation to purchase goods, particularly food items, as traffic flow and pedestrian movement improved.