The ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest across the country has continued in Benin City, Edo State despite the plea of President Bola Tinubu in his speech on Sunday to stay action.
The protesters also held Church service on the road as part of the Sunday protest in the State.
At the Agho junction, on Ekehuan road, it was observed that the protesters were singing and dancing while praising God and calling for end to bad governance.
There were also barricade in some of the venues where the protests have taken place since the commencement of the protest on August 1.
The protesters barricade the road during the church service while vehicular movements were restricted on the road.
It was also gathered that some hoodlums blocked inner streets and turned the protest into money making venture as motorists have to part with between N100 and N200 before been allowed to pass the blockade.
Earlier the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, the coordinators of the protest in the State relapsed the protest to hear what the President has in his speech.
The coordinators have on Friday readjusted the protesting time to between 8am and 4pm daily.
The closing of protest by 4pm it was learnt was to enable traders opened their businesses to customers.
It was also observed that there was not protest at the King Square, the official designated venue of the protest while there were no blockade on the Benin-Agbor Road and Ramat Square usually manned by protesters since the begining of the protest on August 1.
Soldiers in convoy were seen patrolling the major roads in the state with a view to clear any barricade by protesters.
Speaking, former Coordinator, Edo State Civil Society Organisation, Agho Omobude, said the protest is for ten days and said, they would continue as the President has failed to address the protesters’ demand.
“The protest now is operation hold your area. People are now protesting in their own street. As you can see, we are protesting at Agho junction, on the Ekehuan road.
“Protest is also going on in other streets and it is ten days protest, today is the fourth day” he said.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast is empty and didn’t assuage the protesters.
“The president should have given Nigeria a speech of hope but gave us a speech of hopelessness and frustration. He has worsen the living condition of Nigerians.
“Today is the fourth and the protest will continue and when the president is ready he should come and address us, we would wait for him” he said.
Meanwhile, Funsho Adegboye, State Commissioner of Police, noted there was no attack nor loss of life since the commencement of the protest
“Nobody is injured, no death, no casualties in the state, and that is what we want”.
Funsho, commended the protesters for their civil and peaceful conduct since the commencement of the protest in the state.
The commissioner, however, condemned the action of some individuals who he said are deviating from the protest agenda by setting up illegal roadblocks and extorting money from members of the public.
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“We discovered that some people are regrouping in some other locations where they are carrying out illegal activities like extortion from motorists and other members of the public.
“This is not how to protest. We should not spoil the good work we have started on this protest.
“Anybody seen blocking the road in other places apart from the designated venue for the protest which is the Kings Square will be treated as a looters or hoodlums, and we don’t want to start using maximum force on them.
“So people are advised to go about their lawful businesses while those that want to protest should please go to the Kings Square, that is the designated area for protesters where we have people protesting peacefully and in a modern ways.
“The only roadblock mounted by police at the Kings Square was intended to prevent the protesters from any attacks by suspected hoodlums”,he stated.
He enjoined the protesters to continue with the peaceful protest for the remaining part of the days, adding that the other states are emulating their organized peaceful approach.
Funsho warned that any unscrupulous element found carrying out attack or looting under the guise of protest would be treated as criminals.
