Matilda Omonaiye/
Federal Government’s extension of the lock-down period over COVID-19 pandemic met with violent reactions in Lagos on Monday, as youths in the Ibeju-Lekki area of the state went on the rampage setting trucks and vehicles ablaze.
NewsmakersNG learnt that the irate youths and other residents of Ibeju-Lekki trooped out to protest the continuous lockdown ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari in a nationwide broadcast on Monday.
While some of the youths carried placards pleading that the lockdown is stopped, others shouted at the top of their voices that the lockdown was a harbinger of hunger, as they are very hungry with their families.
Yusuf Olakunle, one of the youths with the placards said that 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 had become very difficult to feed his family, noting that his wife is now 7 months pregnant.
Another protester, who said he worked 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 Onilekki of Lekki, HRM Olumuyiwa Liasimm Ogunbekun appealed to the youths to be calm and law-abiding as the country is going through tough times as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the Dangote Refinery remained their major source of daily earnings as more jobs were continuously created.
The Federal Government of Nigeria four weeks ago imposed a lockdown on the Federal Capital Territory, along with Lagos and Ogun states due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged 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.
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