Thousands of protesters stormed timber town in Sapele, Delta State, on Wednesday, demanding an end to the extension of lockdown in the state.
The governor, Ifeanyi Okowa had in a broadcast to residents of the state, Tuesday morning, announced the extension of the 14-day Lockdown which began on April 1, for another two weeks and imposing a dusk to dawn curfew.
Few hours after the broadcast, hundreds of women took to the streets of the town, as early as 7:30am demanding an end to the lockdown.
Chanting “we no go gree o, we no go gree” by some of the women, others chanted “freedom, freedom” the women in their thousands were joined by other residents of the town including artisans, tricycle motorcycle riders, and others.
“We prefer to come outside and die than to be locked indoor, we have stayed inside for two weeks we can’t go to the market, we can’t go anywhere, we are hungry, we will not accept this” Vanguard quoted one of the protesters, Madam Tina Akpometiro as saying.
According to the report, the Sapele local government chairman, Hon Eugene Inoaghan, tried to pacify the crowd with loads of security men but the crowd didn’t bulge.
They kept chanting “we want freedom, we want freedom” however there was pandemonium when the chairman left, with the crowd openly confronting security men with stones, an action that led to burning of tyres and wood.
