There was pandemonium at the Biogbolo suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital during the hardship protest as a group of youths reportedly clashed with protesters along the Chief Melford Okilo Road.
It was gathered that the community youths were against the hunger protest.
The end bad governance protesters who were accompanied by two police vans were allegedly attacked unexpectedly from behind with bottles, planks of wood and other weapons.
But the attack was swiftly repelled by a team of police officers monitoring the situation to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.
The aggrieved protesters said they were out to demand action from the government to end the high cost of living and hunger.
They chanted solidarity songs and carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Restore fuel subsidy and reduce the price of petroleum products now’, ‘We are dying of hunger in our own country’, ‘We are suffering so much now’ and ‘We can no longer feed our children’, among others.
The protesters marched through the Yenagoa-Mbiama Road and the Melford Okilo Road defying the morning showers to register their grievances.
However, there was another set of protesters led by the Secretary of the Bayelsa State Vigilante, Innocent Kalango, in solidarity with the state government.
The protesters, armed with placards, gathered in front of the Government House, and applauded the Governor Douye Diri’s administration for completing the Igbogene-AIT Outer Ring Road, first phase of the Glory Drive, Yenagoa, ongoing Yenagoa-Oporoma road and bridge work at Angiama among others.
Kalango in an interview said: “we came out in solidarity with the Bayelsa State government because of the massive infrastructural projects being done by the present administration. We are just developing in Bayelsa and we will not want to see the structures on ground destroyed.”
Our correspondents who went round town had earlier observed a near zero protest in Yenagoa and its environs.
As early 7.30am security operatives were seen stationed at major junctions and roundabout with residents going about their businesses.
Also, Governor Diri in the early hours of the day led the weekly five-kilometre Prosperity Walk, through the streets of Yenagoa and was joined by other top government officials and Bayelsans for the fitness exercise.
Government offices were opened with some civil servants sighted at their duty posts.
There was also vehicular and tricycle movements in Yenagoa and its environs.
While some banks were closed for business, others rendered skeletal services to customers through the back door.
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