By Our Special Correspondent
It is no longer news that a mass protest has been planned to take place across Nigeria, starting from Thursday, August 1st, 2024.
Reason? Well, it was gathered that Nigerians wish to register their displeasure over the very high, and still rising cost of living.
Today in Enugu, the capital of the Coal City State, a clear three days ahead of the said first day of the protest, palpable tension has gripped residents.
The fears of the citizens are based on the sudden presence of heavily-armed troops of the Nigeria Army, the Nigeria Police, and officers of sundry other security formations on early Monday morning, having apparently been deployed late last night.
The security agents, it would seem, may have been placed on red alert to forestall a possible breakdown of law and order, should the planned protest turn violent.
In a trip around some axes of the sprawling metropolis this morning, our Correspondent observed that there were scores of heavily-armed and, in some cases, masked troops vigilantly manning checkpoints at places like the very popular Amaechi Road Junction, Agbani Road; Amaechi Street Junction Agbani Road; Esso Bus-Stop, Agbani Road by Zik Avenue; the equally popular Nkpokiti Junction, by C-To- C Plaza, where was sited a mammoth Ezugwu Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, armed with 50 mm cannon; Enugu State Broadcasting Service, ESBS area, by old INEC office; Abakaliki Road; Abakpa Junction, and other areas.
In a similar vein, armed and mobile police officers straddled several other checkpoint zones like around the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, office, Enugu.
The sudden and heavy presence of armed troops has sent jitters down the spines of Enugu -dwellers, and has created a heightened sense of apprehension among the people, ahead of the planned protest.
This is even as the prices of basic food items and other essentials continue to soar.
It remains to be seen how this tense scenario will eventually play out.
Top Celebrities will give you updates as events unfold.