Gunshots were fired into the air at the popular Top Medical junction in the Tunga area of Minna, Niger State capital, when protesters attempted to block the road.
The police initially used teargas to disperse the protesters, who then tried to regroup and mount a roadblock on the busy road.
To prevent the reassembly, policemen on the scene fired gunshots into the air to scare the protesters away. Upon arrival, our correspondent observed policemen and vigilantes removing stones that the protesters had used to barricade a section of the road.
Security operatives, including the police, military, Nigeria Immigration Service, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have taken over perceived hotspots such as the popular Kpakungu Roundabout on Minna-Bida road, where a protest occurred earlier this year.
The daily trust correspondent also reported that markets and shops were closed due to fear of looting.