Kaduna – Armed policemen on Saturday in Kaduna took over the Freedom Square, venue of an anticipated protest by a pressure group, Occupy Nigeria, against the recent increase in the pump price of petrol

The area which is around the Luggard roundabout, was condoned off by the policemen.

Two former governors of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and Col. Hamid Ali (rtd), would lead a fresh protest against the new N97 per litre of petrol in Kaduna today.

A top government official who did not want to be identified said that “the measure taken by the state government is in line with its effort to avert any breakdown of law and order during the purported protest.”

Meanwhile, security measures have been tightened in the metropolis to check the activities of criminals.

The number of checkpoints mounted by the police and soldiers on most major roads and streets in the metropolis has increased.

Some of the resident who spoke expressed their satisfaction with the measures.

A resident, Malam Sani Ahmed, said “security is very critical, it requires the rapt attention of all concerned and patriotic Nigerians”.

Ahmed urged the government to intensify its effort in fighting insecurity in the state “so as to avert what happened (multiple explosions) in Kano on Friday”. (NAN)

Armed policemen on Saturday in Kaduna took over the Freedom Square, venue of an anticipated protest by a pressure group, Occupy Nigeria, against the recent increase in the pump price of petrol.