The planned #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest against perceived bad governance did not take place in Benue State as previously agreed by various groups, government officials, and security agencies.
Our correspondent reports a calm atmosphere in Makurdi, the state capital, with residents going about their daily activities without any disruption. Last Sunday, Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, informed the press that the top security officials in the state had met with labor unions, youth organizations, market associations, and other pressure groups, and they collectively agreed that the protest should not proceed. The government and security agencies expressed concerns that the protest might be hijacked by miscreants.
As a result, there were no protest activities in Makurdi. Workers were seen at their duty posts in the State Secretariat, though many federal civil service employees were absent from their offices.
However, as a precaution, most banks, markets, and shops in the state capital remained closed, although some shop owners chose to open their businesses. Streets that usually experience heavy traffic were unusually quiet, with few vehicles on the roads. Most filling stations in Makurdi were also closed, while those open were selling PMS at a high price of N900 per liter.
Motor parks had few passengers, and highways, particularly the Makurdi-Lafia road, were less busy than usual. Calls to Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the state confirmed that the protest did not occur in any of them.
Security personnel were stationed at strategic locations across the city, including in front of the Benue State Transport Company, Benue Links, and at the Wurukum roundabout.
