Business activities were paralysed on Monday in Benin City, the Edo State capital as University of Benin students took over the streets to protest the increase in pump prices of petroleum products.
Banks, markets, filling stations etc were closed due to the protest as students hijacked incoming vehicles, looted filling stations and people’s properties.
The students protesting the increase in petroleum products prices were later hijacked by area boys who stormed the PDP state secretariat destroying about three vehicles in the compound while properties worth over three million were looted.
The Uni-Ben students who protested through the major streets in the city headed to the State House of Assembly located at Ring road, where the complex was set ablaze. They also went to the Government House before the intervention of the anti-riot policemen who stopped the destruction by the students.
However, three persons lost their lives at the popular Tide junction, where they were trying to overcome the anti-riot policemen.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Chief Lucky Igbenidion assured the students that their message would be communicated immediately to the president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.