Five days after the commencement of the hunger protest by Nigerians to register their displeasure against bad governance, traders in Abuja have recounted their losses to NewsNGR as a result of the closure of their businesses.
NewsNGR had earlier reported that the ongoing protests against hunger had turned violent in Abuja as one death was recorded after police fired live bullets at journalists and protesters in their bid to disperse them from the MKO Abiola Stadium.
This is one of many deaths recorded nationwide since the commencement of the ten-day protest by hungry Nigerians, mostly youth.
However in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday, August 4, 2024, President Bola Tinubu, called for an end to the ongoing nationwide protests against economic hardship, urging demonstrators to suspend further actions and engage in dialogue with the government.
Despite the president’s plea to protesters, NewsNGR learned that businesses activities in the Nyanya market have yet to pick up for fear of being attacked.
“I can’t bear another loss if I am looted in this economy” Adam Jacob a smartphone and accessories dealer at the Nyanya market Abuja told NewsNGR when asked about the reason behind the close of shops on Tuesday morning.
He said, “Mr President addressed Nigerians yesterday, but when these agbero take over the protest and begin to attack us, who will pay for the loss, nobody but me?”
Jacob also noted that business has been slow since August 1.
According to him, “I supply phone accessories to my fellow traders in this market and across and I know how much comes into my account daily.
“But in the last five days, I have not been able to make 50 per cent of my daily sales”.
Also speaking, Blessing Okoye, a wholesaler for foodstuff and other beverages, told our correspondent, that the sale for the first week of August has been the worst since the year began.
Okoye who noted that she is in support of the protest, however, said that businesses should be protected and allowed to operate during the period of the protest.
She said, “I have been in this business roughly 15 years, and I have never witnessed a year as difficult as this. People find it hard to eat and so I understand the call for this protest but a total shutdown of businesses’ is not the best approach for this protest.
“We are inflicting this pain on ourselves, I know how much I have lost these past few days,” Okoye lamented, adding that “The government did not create these jobs that we are surviving with. So, a total shutdown of our buisness is not the best way to go about the protest, because it is not hitting the government but the ordinary Nigerians.”
Israel Attoh another trader called for more security presence at the market to enable traders to carry out their businesses without fear of their shops being looted.
He said, “Instead of police attacking peaceful protesters, they should focus their strength on safeguarding our markets because we contribute greatly to the economy no matter how small it is.”
Recall that economic experts have projected that the August nationwide protest portends grave dangers for an economy which is already in a very fragile state and is most likely to cost the economy about N4tn for the ten days period.