Irate youths and other residents of Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State on Monday
trooped out to protest the continuous lockdown, ordered by the federal government.
Some of the protesters carried placards with inscriptions that the lockdown be stopped, while others shouting that the lockdown was a harbinger of hunger, saying they are very hungry with their families.
One of the youths, Yusuf Olakunle, said, the situation was already getting out of hand, as he relied on whatever sales he makes from his shop to feed his family. He said since the beginning of the lockdown, it has become very difficult to feed his family, noting that his wife is now 7 months pregnant.
Another protester, who said he works with one of the contractors in Dangote refinery, said since the refinery stopped all contractors from working as a result of the federal government ordered lockdown, eating and feeding his family and siblings has been a very big issue.
He said: “I am the breadwinner of my family and I am a welder who works with one of the contractors in Dangote refinery. But, since this lockdown began, I don’t have any work to do; hence there is no money to buy food for my family. I will rather be killed by the virus than die of hunger; the federal government should stop the lockdown.”
The irate youths, who burnt used tires on the road, also set ablaze trucks and some company vehicles which ran into their procession.
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of the area, Onilekki of Lekki, HRM, Olumuyiwa Liasimm Ogunbekun has appealed to the youths to be calm and law abiding as country is going through tough times as a result of COVID-19 pandemic; adding that the Dangote Refinery still remains their major source of daily earnings as more jobs are continuously created”
The Federal Government of Nigeria had four weeks ago imposed lockdown on the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states due to the coronavirus pandemic. President Muhammad Buhari, who extended the lockdown for a further one week in a nationwide broadcast yesterday, also announced a two weeks lockdown of Kano, where hundreds of death had been recorded in one week.
Meanwhile the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has advised the federal government to again extend the lockdown, which ends on Monday. This, the association said, would help to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus disease. It added that with the “exponential” rise in the number of cases recorded across the country daily, people should not see the lockdown as a punishment but a necessary measure to contain the spread of the deadly virus. It, however, stressed the need for fair distribution of the palliatives to cushion the hardship the restriction had caused Nigerians.