Trading resumes despite end bad governance protest

    Cars and tricycles parked, minimal              vehicular movement on Benin side roads

By Bernadette Idalu
Skeletal business activities resumed today, August 3, 2024, in parts of Benin City, despite the ongoing ten days national protest against hunger and bad governance in Nigeria.

Even with the violence and loss of human lives leading to the imposition of curfews by governors in Yobe, Maiduguri and Kano to stem issues relating to violence and human carnage in such designated states, the Edo State experience has been largely peaceful, leading to the turn up of traders with their display of wares at Santana market, today, on day three (3), of the nationwide protest. 

Though not at its peak, economic and human activities were going on smoothly at the Santana market, Sapele road, where eagle eyed, safety conscious traders were seen transacting business. They  kept a keen eye on proceedings around them. 

Traders interacted with stated that haven been teargassed at the start of the protest, many of them staged a walk out from the market space but some of them decided to come out today to resume trading. 

To get fresh supply of goods, traders interacted with, said they woke up quite early to enable them beat bottlenecks with commercial drivers of vehicles boarded found themselves parting with five hundred to one thousand naira to individual clusters of protesting youths who blocked the way.

A group of protesters were seen advancing from Limit Road Junction to Santana Market axis of the road, dancing to loud music. A Police patrol car was sighted driving through Etete and surrounding environs into Sapele Road at Santana market axis.

Unlike last month when cars simultaneously drove through and used all designated lanes of the road, vehicular movement today was unofficially restricted to one area of the demarcated road which protesters took ownership of  at about twelve (12) noon. Many cars were off the streets, those on the roads had leaves attached to their bumper or boot as a means of identification with the process.

Shops were partially open along Etete, Enogie Street, Limit road and other surrounding streets. Even those operating commercial point of sale (POS) machines were spotted doing business. Interestingly at Oriokpa extension, a slaughtered cow was seen being dissected with women on standby.

 

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