Panic Buying In Kaduna Ahead of August 1st, Protest

By: Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna

Kaduna residents have stormed major markets ahead of the August 1st, 2024 planned nationwide protests.

The residents in what is described as “panic buying ” said that nobody can predict the outcome of the protest and as such there is need for them to stock their household with essentials as they feared that markets and shops may not open in the process.

For Kaduna state where virtually every faceup turned religious, the case of agitation for hunger protest may go differently as both christians and Muslims continue to show synergy in support for the protest.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna state Governor Senator Uba Sani had earlier stated that the state will not support any nationwide protests against the government, a statement that attracted several backlash especially from the youths, citing protest as their fundamental human right.

Other civil society organizations, like Arewa concerned citizens group, Southern Kaduna People’s Union, (SOKAPU) and Coalition of Concerned Civil Society Organizations led by Comrade Mohammed Kazeem has said that their members will not be part of the protest.

In a press statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday, Kazeem said that they decided to dissociate themselves from the protest because “we are compelled by superior wisdom of statesmen like Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and glaring facts on the ground to jettison our earlier position on the planned nationwide protests. While we were convinced that our course of action was legitimate and patriotic, it is humbling to admit that we were deceived by miscreants who are out to discredit the current administration for their personal interests.

“With the opening of our national borders to ease the importation of food and fight food inflation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated a deep commitment to addressing the hunger and pain Nigerians are currently experiencing. It’ll therefore be unwise to continue with the protests when all hands are on deck to address our grievances.” he said.

In thesame development, security agencies have been placed on red alert to control any situation that may go out of hand. The military in their large number were sighted on Wednesday rallying around Kaduna metropolis through it’s “Operation Show of Force” to communicate their level of preparedness.

Speaking with News-Direct Correspondent in Kaduna on Wednesday, Mrs. Christiana Bala said that “I was afraid when I saw the soldiers. I am actually here to buy somethings because nobody can tell the outcome of this protest. ” Asked on whether she is in support of the protest or not, Mrs. Bala disclosed that she is in support of whatever will ease the hardship in the country.

Another, Safiya Garba said that, “I am not in support of violent protest but government should do everything they can to alleviate the plights of the masses. People are seriously angry. Things are bad. To refill my gas this morning and to buy food stuff that will take me for a while I have spent nothing less than N50,000. I am yet to get other essentials, what happened to those that does not have anything at all.” she asked.

Mr. Abdullahi Bako lamented that the protest is yet to start, meanwhile it has worsened the situation in town. He noted that “Yesterday, I was on queue for fuel from morning till night but I could not get anything. Today, I came out earlier to see if he can get fuel but most of the filling stations are shut so the crisis is affecting everybody.”

Asked on whether he would join the protest, Abdullahi said that he will not join but he is fully in support, urging the youths to take their destinies into their hands.

One of the major fear in Kaduna state as at the time of filing this report is that shop owners are worried about the state of their goods. They feared that should the protest go out of hands, hoodlums may take advantage of the situation to vandalize and loot their shops.

They called on security agencies to put up adequate measures to safeguard their properties and other means of livelihoods.