BREAKING: Hardship: Major Protest Erupts As Prisoners Revolt
Protests erupted at the Correctional Center in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, on Friday as inmates demonstrated against plans to reduce their food rations.
Upon learning of the proposed decrease in food portions, the inmates initiated the protest.
They refused to follow orders from the custodial officials and declined breakfast during the demonstration.
Gathering at the center of the prison yard, the inmates shouted loudly, prompting custodial officials to use tear gas to disperse them back to their rooms.
Comptroller of the Jos Correctional Center, Raphael Ibinuhi, confirmed the inmates’ protest to Daily Trust, stating, “The problem has to do with the high cost of goods in the market. The contractor in charge of the foods said they are being forced by the price of food items to reduce the size of the plate of foods.”
He added, “So, it is the food size that provoked the protest. I don’t think the protest is necessary because the food challenge and the cost of items are national issues that the federal government is already addressing. And I want to believe that since it is a national issue, whatever step taken by the federal government to address it will be felt everywhere in the country, including the Correctional centers.”
The increasing cost of living in the country has led to protests in various parts of Nigeria.
On Monday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) organized a nationwide protest, which President Bola Tinubu criticized as unacceptable.
While inaugurating the Lagos Red Line Train connecting Agbado to Oyingbo, the president remarked, “Allow me to throw a jab here. The Labour Union should understand that no matter how much we cling to our freedom and rights, to call for a strike within 9 months of an administration is unacceptable.”
