Naira, Fuel Scarcity: Is Protest The Answer?

At least three innocent people succumbed to the cold hands of death barely 24 hours after a protest rocked Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, over the scarcity of fuel and new naira notes. The question that comes to mind is if the protest is the answer.

Things are awfully hard in Nigeria. With the sudden fuel and naira scarcity, the upbeat has grown harder.

Some Nigerians however felt that they needed to register their disapproval of the situation in a big way.

They took to some major streets in Ibadan to protest. 

It was gathered that the youths were assembling when security operatives arrived at the scene and asked them to disperse.

Our reporter spoke with an eyewitness today who chose to stay anonymous.

The source said, "The seemingly angry youths were demonstrating when police and soldiers arrived in the area and the rest was history."

What difference did it make?

From a democratic point of view, protests and demonstrations strengthen inclusive governance and responsive leadership.

In contrast, Nigeria's case has been different.

Protests claim innocent lives and hamper daily activities with infinitesimal success. 

Other sources told AllNews Nigeria that Nobody knew what happened until one of them (soldiers and police) angrily shot into the air. People started scampering for safety in Inadan.

That is the honest reality in Nigeria. From the EndSARS protest, fuel price hike, NLC debacles, ASUU strike protest and other major national unhappiness, we have witnessed similar trends.

Protests, demonstrations, death tolls, injuries and the security operatives flexing their muscles.

Still, no positive result 

The latest protest took at least three lives. 

A source told us that the youths became unhappy and violently engaged security officers. 

"The officers shot three people. One died immediately, the second guy died before getting to the hospital while the third person died at the hospital,” the source said.

As of the time of compelling this report, fuel price hasn't changed and the new naira which is still unavailable to ordinary Nigerians.

What do security operatives have to say?

When AllNews Nigeria contacted the Oyo State Police Command, it said only one person was killed.

A statement authorised by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, said, “Today (Saturday) at about 1015hrs while embarking on series of confidence-building patrols around different black spots and flash points, the joint convoy patrol comprising of the police and other agencies ran into a band of hoodlums around Apata junction market, Apata Area, under Ido Local Government Area.”

The police maintained that just a single soul was lost.

But the deed wouldn't have happened if not for the protest.

The fact 

Protests hardly work in Nigeria. Innocent people die and the security apparatus exercise superiority over harmless Nigerians.

Policy frontiers in Nigeria need to change their strategies.

We lose promising people to deaths that no one becomes answerable to without the reason f the protest getting addressed.

Protest in the countey is a democratic tool unripe for the giant of Africa as we speak.

The earlier we know this, the better. Protest is not the answer.