Hundreds of women and youths in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State yesterday, peacefully protested against the extension of the lockdown order by Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa.
The people who chanted solidarity songs marched through major streets of Sapele town.
They said there was hunger and that their businesses have crumbled without any hope of getting food to eat.
The protesters, however, said their anger was that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa announced an extension of the lockdown for another fourteen days without the provisions of essential needs for them.
One of the protesters identified as Onome, in a chat with newsmen said, “As I’m talking to you, there is no food in my house and I have four children with a wife.”
Another protester, also identified as Oritsemeyiwa said the government was very insensitive to the plights of its people.
Oritsemeyiwa, an applicant said since the lockdown started, he had been going around begging to survive, stressing, “As it is now, I have no money anywhere. How to survive for the next fourteen days is what I am thinking about.”
Our correspondent reports that the peaceful protest was hijacked by hoodlums who burnt fire at Okpe road just as they allegedly attacked and maimed residents of the area.
It took the intervention of police officers who swung into action and shot tear-gas canister into the air to disperse the peaceful protesters and the hoodlums.
When contacted, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Hafiz Inuwa, who confirmed the protest in a telephone chat with our reporter said, “They have been dispersed.”
It would be recalled that Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa on Tuesday announced an extension of the lockdown for fourteen days with an assurance that food items would be shared to Deltans without delay.