Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

The Coalition of Civil Societies in Osun State on Thursday stormed the streets of Osogbo, the state capital protesting against economic hardship in the country.

Members of the coalition converged at the popular Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo around 7:30am despite the early morning rain in the town.

The peaceful protest moved through Old-Garage, through MDS to Olaiya where it addressed residents and participants.

Chairman of the coalition, Comrade Waheed Lawal said the protest is to allow President Bola Tinubu know the grievances of Nigerians over growing economic hardship in the country.

“This is just an awareness for the protest that will come up on Monday. We are mobilising to the streets to make those in government realized that Nigerians are dying of hunger.

“We, therefore, use this opportunity to urged residents of the state to fully prepare for the protest against hunger for those in authority to find solution to the problem they created in the country”, he said.

Also, the Director Ola-Oni Socio Research, Comrade Wale Adebisi berated the federal government under President Tinubu for causing hardship for Nigerians through his subsidy removal and forex policy without adequate palliative measures.

“The purpose of this protest is to let the residents know that Nigeria is passing through a hard time, a hard period as a result of lack of economic planning from the government.

“And about the security situation of Nigeria, kidnapping is going on unabated with payment of ransom despite. People are no longer secured despite paying ransom.

“How can government float the naira and at the same time remove subsidy without any plan for palliative. There is no social intervention, no social empowerment and the government just allow people to be exposed to poverty, hunger and hopelessness”, he added.