Protest flops in Ekiti as residents stay at home

The first day of the much publicised nationwide protest in Ekiti was generally uneventful, as many residents adopted a sit-at -home approach, DAILY POST reports.
Our state correspondent, who monitored the exercise in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, and other major towns like Ikole-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Emure and others, reports that rather than organising or joining any protest, residents stayed indoors.
There was no vehicular moment on the major roads in Ado-Ekiti and other roads linking the state capital to other destinations, as the roads were empty.
Also, there were no reports of violence from any quarter across the state, as at the time of filing this report.
A visit to the State Secretariat, along the popular Bank Road in Ado-Ekiti, showed that not many workers were at their desk, as only few staff, particularly security personnel, were sighted.
In the same vein, a visit to some banks in the state showed that they were under lock and keys, as the planned protest paralysed normal activities.
The major markets in the town, like Adebayo, King’s market, Bisi market, Okesa market, Sabo market, and Ojido, among others, were also deserted, as few people were seen in front of their shops without opening them.
A visit to the State High Court and magistrates courts also showed that not many workers were on ground, as the premises were also deserted, with only few staff seen in the office performing their duties, while many did not come to work.(DAILY POST)
The five men are Muhammadu Ibrahim, 23; Abdullahi Aliyu, 30; Usman Abubakar, 28; Abubakar Umoru, 25 and Arowolo Olatunbosun, 34.
The five men, whose addresses were nossession of firearms.
Magistrate Olasinmibo Sanusi-Zubair did not take the pleas of the defendants for lack of jurisdiction.
She, however, directed the police to return the case file to the state Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
Sanusi-Zubair, subsequently, adjourned the case to Sept. 30 for mention.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor, Insp Oladejo Balogun, had earlier told the court that the defendants committed the offences on June 16 at about 4.00 p.m., at Moniya, Ibadan.
Oladejo said the defendants were found unlawfully in possession of one AK-47 rifle, 1 LAR rifle as well as 17 live ammunition.
He said the offences contravened Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms Laws of Nigeria, 2004.(DAILY POST)