Protest in Edo as government intensifies COVID-19 vaccination

Civil society organisations (CSOs) and students, yesterday, protested against Governor Godwin Obaseki-administration’s compulsory COVID-19 vaccination policy in Benin City, the state capital.

The protesters, who grounded vehicular movement around the ancient city, carried placards bearing inscriptions as We Need Security In Edo, Not Vaccine; We Will Resist Any Executive Rascality; Hunger Is Killing Us, Not COVID-19; Obaseki Obey Court Order and Share COVID-19 Palliatives, among others.

They also threatened to shut down government houses, agencies, corporate organisations enforcing the ‘no vaccine, no entry’ policy, stressing that yesterday’s protest was just a warning.

Speaking at the secretariat of the Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Coordinator of the Freedom Ambassador Organisation, Curtis Ogbebor, said they were out to express their displeasure over the compulsory vaccination in the state.

He noted that other pressing issues such as security should be the governor’s priority and not compulsory COVID-19 vaccination.