By Our Correspondent
There was a major protest in Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos State on Monday as irate youths and other residents of the area trooped out to express dissatisfaction with the continuous lockdown ordered by the Federal Government over the spread of Coronavirus Disease.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday extended the lockdown of the state for another one week.
Also affected by the extension are Ogun State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Buhari announced a total lockdown of Kano State for two weeks.
While some of the youths carried placards pleading that the lockdown be stopped, others shouted at the top of their voices that it was a harbinger of hunger as they are very hungry with their families.
Yusuf Olakunle, one of the youths with the placards, said the situation was already getting out of hand as he relied on whatever sales he makes from his shop to feed his family.
Olakunle said since the beginning of the lockdown, it has become very difficult to feed his family, noting that his wife is now seven months pregnant.
Another protester, who said he works 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 had 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 tyres on the road, also set ablaze trucks and some company vehicles, which ran into their protest.
Meanwhile the Onilekki of Lekki, Oba Olumuyiwa Liasimm Ogunbekun, has appealed to the youths to be calm and law abiding as the country was going through tough times as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, adding that Dangote Refinery still remains their major source of daily earnings as more jobs are continuously created.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria four weeks ago imposed lockdown on the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Lagos and Ogun States due to the coronavirus pandemic.