It was observed that the youth in the Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State chose not to participate in the ongoing nationwide protest highlighting the challenges faced by citizens in the country.
A monitoring visit to Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa state, revealed deserted roads such as Makurdi/Jos and Shandam leading to Government House. Security personnel were visible at strategic points to maintain order in the areas.
In the Lafia metropolis, residents were seen going about their daily activities without any disturbances.
Other areas like UAC, Kwandere, and Makurdi roads within the Lafia LG also showed a similar peaceful atmosphere according to our reporter’s observations.
At these locations, youngsters and market traders operated their businesses peacefully, without any interference from security forces.
Reports indicate that the situation remains calm across all 13 local government areas in the state, with no reports of violence or damage to public property.
However, some shops remained closed, possibly due to concerns about potential attacks from protesters.
The Commissioner of Police, Umar Nadada, was seen patrolling the state capital with other security agencies, ensuring the prevention of violence, protection of citizen rights, and safeguarding of properties.
It was also noticed that roadside black market traders had vacated their stands.
Additional security measures were put in place to secure the Correctional Centre in Lafia during the protest period.
The State Commissioner of Police warned troublemakers to steer clear of the state, instructing the police force to safeguard peaceful protests.
During an interview with two Lafia residents, Ibrahim Isa and Daniel Emmanuel, they urged both federal and state governments to address the prevailing economic hardships facing citizens promptly.