Residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday protested the high cost of living, food inflation, and the current economic hardship in the country.

The protesters gathered around the Mokola area in the state, carring placards with various inscriptions such as ‘End food hike and inflation’, ‘End food hike and inflation,’ ‘The poor are starving,’ and ‘Tinubu, don’t forget your promises,’ among others.

Staged in the Mokola area of Ibadan, the state capital, placard-carrying youths in their droves chanted songs to drive home their points. They were also chanting songs to show their grievances.

Armed policemen were seen at the protest scene even as demonstrators held the peaceful rally against the economic hardship in the land occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange windows.

It will be recalled that the police on Sunday warned that no breach of peace would be allowed during any protest in the state.

The protest in Oyo followed others in Kano, and Minna, amongst others, over economic hardship occasioned by petrol subsidy removal, food inflation, and the high cost of living.

Meanwhile, last Thursday, President Bola Tinubu ordered the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun; and the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; to work with governors and go after those hoarding foodstuffs.

The President, who met with governors of the 36 states in Abuja last week, also ruled out the importation of food items, adding that he won’t set up a price control board.