The Benin-Lagos highway and other areas in Benin metropolis was blocked by some residents following the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The protesters who are mainly members of the Edo State Civil Society Organisation (EDOCSO), called for urgent reversal of the fuel pump price.
Some of the placards they held up read “Nigerians can’t buy petrol at N520”; “We can’t buy petrol at N520 but N210”; “Petrol must be N210 till July end”.
The road blockage led to a gridlock, forcing commuters to trek to their destinations. Former coordinator general of EDOCSO, Omobude Agho, told newsmen;
“We are protesting because of the increase in fuel price which started yesterday, marketers moved the price from N210 to over N500.
“We were shocked to see that even the NNPC Limited fixed over N500 as the pump price. So, we feel this is a plan to kill Nigerians or send us to our graves.
“The strategy is called local protest, we are localizing the protest. It is currently ongoing in places such as Uselu shell, Ologbo, Siluko and Agbor park.”
Agho added that if by Friday the government fails to address the situation, the protest will spread to other areas.
