Defying the early morning downpour, protesters converged on King Square in Benin City around 8:00 a.m. to continue their demonstration for the second day. As the rain subsided around 11:00 a.m., more protesters joined, blocking King Square and other major roads linking the city center. Security personnel were on the ground to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Some activists encouraged the youth to remain hopeful and urged them not to be used as agents of destruction, but to peacefully make their voices heard. The protesters' demands include a reduction in the high cost of governance, addressing insecurity, opening the borders, and suspending import duty to crash food prices.
"We want the president to face our country, reduce the high cost of governance, and address insecurity," one protester said. "Our borders should be open, and import duty suspended to crash food prices." The youth also demanded the reversal of fuel subsidy, insisting that "life is hard, and policies should not make it harder for the people."