The Niger State Governor, Umar Bago has given an executive order for the immediate halt to the transportation of bulk of food stuffs from the villages outside the state with immediate effect.
Bago gave the directive while reacting to the recent protest that erupted in the state capital and attributed the action to some economic saboteur who informed residents of the movement of foodstuffs in trailers coming into the state.
Residents of Minna, the Niger state capital woke up to early morning protests by some women around the Kpakungu area within the metropolis.
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They were protesting the daily rising costs of foodstuffs and hardship which led to the blocking of some roads thereby paralysing both vehicular and human movement.
However, according to Governor Bago, the immediate investigation of the protest was attributed to some informants and economic saboteurs who informed some women about the movement of trucks of food into the state to block and loot them.
Bago added that following the protest, he has given an executive order banning mass purchase of foodstuffs from the villages as well as from the local government areas till further notice.
The governor further added that the government is in talks with the leadership of the traders in the market to ensure price control over the skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs reported during the protest.
Protesters mainly women had earlier taken to the streets at about 7:am to register their grievances about the daily rising costs of foodstuffs which was later hijacked by some irate youths.
As of the time of this report, the situation has been brought under control with normalcy returning to the Kpakungu area following the arrest of some suspects believed to be the masterminds of the protest.
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
