Heavy rioting broke out today in Akure, capital of Ondo State at the popular Oba Market.
The venue of the protest is a stone throw from the palace of Deji of Akure kingdom .
The protesting youths said they are not happy over the refusal of the Labour Party (LP) government in the state led by Olusegun Mimiko denying them use of the"Democracy Park"for their yearly carnival.
The youths had gone on the media both print and broadcast to advertise about their yearly'2014 Carnival'.
Popular Fuji musician, Saheed Osupa and his band was expected to perform at the carnival but the State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko ordered security agencies in the state to disrupt the event.
The rampaging youths claimed that they had invited the Fuji musician, stationed him at a hotel with his band to play at the carnival today.
They claimed to have spent millions of naira on the carnival without support from the government.
One of the protesting youths told journalists that they had written a letter to the state government for permission to use the venue.
They had booked the'Democracy Park'close to Oja Oba Market along popular Oba Adesida road for the venue of the event but when the youths gathered at the"Democracy Park"they were barred by heavily armed security personnel stationed there by the governor.
A policeman was quoted saying that'They would shoot at anyone if the youths refused to leave the venue'.
After being driven from the"Democracy Park", the youths later converged at the Akure Town Hall also on Adesida Road for the carnival.
Surprisingly, security personnel led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in the state, Edward Ajogun, chased the youths away from the second venue for the carnival.
The band members of the Fuji musician were seen hurriedly packing their musical instruments to avoid getting arrested.
One of the band members told SaharaReporters that not holding the carnival is a'great embarrassment'to the state because they had left Lagos for the show fully prepared to entertain the young people in the state capital.
During the riotous encounter with police, SaharaReporters noted that many of the youths were calling Governor Mimiko unprintable names accusing him of not been'youth friendly.'
All efforts by the Regent of Akure Kingdom, Adetutu Adesida to intervene in the matter did not yield any results.
Princess Adesida was said to have called government functionaries close to the palace to allow the youths hold their carnival but none seems to be forth coming and willing to listen.
Security agencies in the state claimed the carnival might be hijacked by hoodlums due to the challenges of insecurity currently facing the country mostly by 'Boko Haram'militants. But the organizers described that as a"lame excuse."
The protesters put barricades on the Oba Adesida road to prevent vehicular movement.
The protesting youths have also destroyed some government properties in the state capital.
Market Women and traders hurriedly closed down their shops and fled the scene of the rioting.
All banks in the capital city have also closed down their operations as customers were seen stranded at the front gates of the financial institutions.
An Army battalion from the 232 Army Barracks in Akure has been drafted to save the situations from degenerating.
The Soldiers were not also friendly has they were armed with guns checking peoples movement.
As at the time of these reports, heavily armed. anti-riot policemn are parading Akure streets and shooting sporadically into the air to scare the youths away.
(Culled from saharareporters.com)
Suprisingly, this is coming just three days after a peaceful protest was demonstrated at the Democracy park by the National Association of Nigerian Students where INEC was giving a 7-day ultimatum to conclude Ilaje/Ese-odo senatorial by-election.
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