Residents of Minna, the Niger State capital, on Monday staged protest against the rising cost of living.
Some women, by 7 am, had blocked the Minna-Bida Road at the popular Kpakungu roundabout to express their grievances over the rising cost of food items.
Some men later joined the women and stopped vehicles from moving.
The protest turned violent as the police fired several shots in the air.
One of the protesters, Ibrahim Gana, complained that rice was being sold at N2,000 per measure (mudu) at Minna markets while maize was N1, 000 per measure.
“The Federal Government needs to take action to reduce the hardship being faced by the poor Nigerians. Things are becoming unbearable,” he said.
Spokesperson of the Niger State police, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, was yet to respond to questions on the protest as at the time of going to press.
