Gunshots As Niger Residents Troop To Streets Over Hardship

In an effort to quell a protest against the escalating cost of living, police officers discharged firearms to disperse demonstrators in Minna, the capital of Niger State.

Early on Monday morning, a group primarily composed of women took to the Minna-Bida Road at the Kpakungu roundabout, voicing their frustrations over the soaring prices of food items.

The situation intensified as men joined the demonstration, effectively halting vehicular movement along the road.

Attempts by the police to manage the swelling crowd nearly led to a confrontation, with protesters demanding the officers vacate the location.

This tension prompted the police to fire shots into the air as a means to disperse the gathering.

According to Ibrahim Gana, a participant in the protest, who spoke with Daily Trust, the cost of basic staples has skyrocketed, with rice now priced at ₦2,000 per mudu and maize at ₦1,000 per measure in Minna markets.

Similarly, in Kano’s Singer Market, the price of a 50kg bag of sugar has surged to N73,000 from N62,000 in early January, reflecting a nationwide trend of increasing food prices that has added to the economic strain on citizens.

He said, “The Federal Government needs to take action to reduce the hardship being faced by the poor Nigerians. Things are becoming unbearable.”