LAGOS SEPTEMBER 14TH (URHOBOTODAY)-A seemingly desolate environments and high cost of food items, yesterday, greeted Eid-el-Kabir Muslims’ celebration across Delta state.
With few tricycle riders in Asaba, it environs, motorcycle riders in Ughelli and its environs, the usual bubbling activities in Asaba and Warri metropolis, relatively dropped with Muslims faithful expressing disappointment over unaffordable cost of living.
Though, security network was properly put in place in Asaba, Ibusa, Ughelli and Okpanam town as plain clothed policemen were positioned in strategic places believed to be flash points of the hoodlums.
Investigation revealed that ram which used to cost between N80,000 shut up to N170,000 depending on negotiation, while bag of rice which dropped from N26,000 to N16,000 had risen to N22,000. Tomatoes and other ingredients for cooking are not left out in the sudden upsurge including a drop of keke which used to be N30.00, N40.00 and N50.00 is now N70.00 and N80.00 any drop.
The state police command through its image maker, Celestina Kalu, had told journalists that formidable security network was put in place by the police in collaborative efforts with vigilante groups across the state to ensure hitch free celebration of the year’s Eid-el-Kabir.
Her words, “Security network on ground is formidable in collaboration with vigilante groups to ensure hitch free celebration of Eid-El-Kabir, the police are ready to bring hoodlums found in an unlawful manners to book.”
Expectedly, some Muslims’ faithful who spoke to our reporter in Cable point in Asaba, decried the low key celebration to outrageous cost of food items including ram, adding that the economic recession had been unfair to Nigerians.
One of them, Alhaji Bashiru Malami said “We are not celebrating big, no money, cost of food items is too high, ram too cost”. But Alhaji Kabiru Sani, a Muslim in Asaba said inspite of the economic recession, Muslims’ faithful celebrate Eld-El-Kabir with whatever that are available.
He said, “Nigeria go good very soon, I want out Muslims’ brothers and sisters to be prayerful, the period is temporary, we will soon get over it.”