LOCK-DOWN UPDATES: ‘Soldiers Flogged Market Women At Ipodo’

BY DIVINEFAVOUR UDE

OF course, most shops remain closed here in Ikeja, and movement of people has been largely reduced. There is also a rumour that some soldiers have been sent out on monitoring exercise, though I have not seen any.

But some people have confirmed they saw the soldiers flogging people, especially those who flouted their stay-at-home order because they wanted to make quick sales to keep body and soul together.

Somebody reported seeing them flog market women at the Ipodo market. And they do not hesitate to throw away wares and destroy those they want to destroy.  However, all roads are now free from traffic but only a few number of cars can be seen out.

This restriction of movement and closing down of shops have made it extremely difficult and uneasy for people to find something to eat. A lot of people are complaining of starvation and food scarcity is becoming the order of the day. It is also very alarming as the prices of things are now inflated.

For example, the price of Garri has risen from N500 to N700 in tin measure.

A loaf of bread has gone from N300 to N350 while recharge card of N100 is sold for N110.

Lots of people who had the money managed to store some certain food stuff in their refrigerator during the early days of the lockdown, to enable them sustain themselves and family.

Even for such people, much of such foodstuff packed in the refrigerator is not turning bad, while some are becoming rotten already, due to regular power outage.  Sometimes the light is seized for about two to three hours, and sometimes, an entire day is skipped.

For many people, this is like adding salt to injury. People are complaining but they are angry that their voices are not heard.in fact, many people have complained that kwashiorkor would be back in Nigeria soon.

Food is not available because the markets are closed. We heard a case of people being denied admission at the hospital because there was no money to pay for their admission and consultation.