Since the announcement of the removal of subsidy on fuel on Sunday, there have been protests by organised labour, human rights activists and others condemning the removal.
The protests continued, on Thursday, as various groups joined in the struggle.
Benin City
In Benin City, the Edo State capital, commercial activities were paralysed for several hours, as market women, youths, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and civil society organisations, under the aegis of the Coalition to Save Nigeria (CSN), took to the streets in protest against the Federal Government’s removal of the fuel subsidy.
The protest, which commenced at about 6.30 a.m. at King’s Square, in the heart of the Benin metropolis, forced banks and other business organisations to remain shut till 12 noon.
The protesters called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, accusing her of coming to implement the agenda of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Nigeria.
The protest was led by the Edo State chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Philip Ugbodaga; President of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA), Nnimo Bassey; President of the Conference of NGOs in the state, Comrade Austin Osakue; Executive Director of the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Reverend David Ugolor; Sabina Osehobo, Igbotako Nowinta and Dr (Mrs) Victoria Amun.
The protesters bore a symbolic coffin as well as placards, some of which read, “Jonathan, you are a disappointment, resign now,” “Edo people say no to fuel subsidy removal,” “Jonathan, we are disappointed in you,” and “Resign if you are incapable.”
A combined team of armed policemen from the police mobile unit and soldiers followed the protesters in order to ensure that the protest was not hijacked by hoodlums.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of protesters from all walks of life, Dr Ugbodaga said Nigerians had suffered for too long and said that rather than remove fuel subsidy, the Federal Government should cut the cost of governance and fix the nation’s battered economy.
According to Ugbodaga, “they should set up a special court to try all those government officials who they said embezzled the subsidy money. We are also calling for the immediate resignation of the Finance Minister, because we are tired of oppression. This protest will continue until the Federal Government rescinds its decision.”
In a letter addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan, the coalition said: “In the interest of peace, unity and progress in Nigeria, we recommend the immediate reversal of the price of fuel to N65.00k in the first instance and thereafter to N39.50k, which is the ideal price of a litre of petrol. Restore the capacities of the four refineries in the country immediately and take full control of the oil industry.”
Bauchi
A coalition of students from tertiary institutions in Bauchi State also staged a peaceful protest in Bauchi against the Federal Government's decision to remove fuel subsidy, even as the protest partially paralysed activities in the state capital.
Hundreds of students drawn from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi; The Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, and Abubakar Tatari Polytechnic, Bauchi, took to the streets in Bauchi, carrying placards, leaves and banners to protest against the subsidy removal announced on Sunday, describing it as a "despicable action" against Nigerians.
They took their protest to the palace of the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, before marching to the Government House. They were, however, unable to see the emir, while no government official attended to them at the Government House.
Heavily armed mobile policemen accompanied the protesting students, as they marched through major roads in the state capital, including the Ahmadu Bello Way, Bank Road, among others.
Addressing the students, President, Students Union Government (SUG), ATBU, Bauchi, Muhammed Aliyu, said the students were against the removal of the subsidy, as it would lead to high cost of living with high cost of transportation, prices of commodities, subsequently leading to food insecurity in the country.
“Which country has succeeded through fuel subsidy removal in the world? When an appreciable percentage of Nigerians earn less than a dollar per day, how do we afford PMS at a higher cost of over a dollar?" Aliyu asked.
He stated that instead of removing the subsidy, government ought to reduce the cost of governance, adding that the Federal Government's argument that the dwindling fortunes of the country would be reversed through the removal did not hold any water.
Similarly, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bayero University chapter and other tertiary institutions, on Thursday, in Kano joined the hundreds of students expressing their displeasure over the fuel subsidy removal.
This is just as Kano State governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has alleged that a political party and a students’ religious group in the state are trying to hijack the current riots against fuel subsidy withdrawal in the state capital to cause confusion.
Some of the placards carried by the protesters read “Nigerians unite against the common man,” “Subsidy removal is criminal”, “We don’t want your fraudulent representation”, “Say no to new tragedy”, “Threat to Nigerians”, “Jonathan must go”, “Lamido Sanusi, Ngozi Iweala, Diezani Madueke, Labara Maku must go”, “We are the government”.
Without minding the scorching sun, the ASUU members joined their students and other people of the town to gather at the Silver Jubilee roundabout to protest what they called insensitivity of the Federal Government to the yearnings and feelings of Nigerians over the removal of subsidy on petrol.
The protesting students in their hundreds later proceeded to Audu Bako Way but were stopped by the police in their attempt to pass through the Bompai Police headquarters.
The chairman of the ASUU branch of BUK, Dr Mahmud Lawan, said they decided to join in the protests to express their displeasure at the fuel subsidy removal.
Dr Mahmud said that government by its action was not sincere, adding that the increase would not augur well going by the present socio–economic problems the masses were facing.
In another development, commercial motorists in Kogi State have abandoned the road following the removed oil subsidy by the Federal Government.
Passengers were stranded, as most fuel stations refused to sell to motorists as some of the commercial vehicles that had fuel increased tranport fares by over 300 per cent, which left motorists stranded.
Jonathan must be impeached - NBA
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), on Thursday, called on the National Assembly to start the impeachment move against President Goodluck Jonathan if he fails to reverse the price of petrol.
NBA also stated that it would join the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the proposed strike scheduled to commence on Monday.
The association made this known in a statement signed by its National President, J.B Daudu, and made available to the our news desk in Abuja.
According to the statement, “if the government should apply half the vigour with which it has pursued the issue of the removal of subsidy to the eradication of corruption in all the arms of government and in society in general, then trillions of naira would be freed up for developmental projects.
“Should their call not be heeded by the President, then the National Assembly should seriously consider impeachment proceedings, the president having lost the confidence of Nigerians to continue to rule or lead them.
“If the legislators fail to take the desired actions, then Nigerians will commence the constitutional process to recall them.
“The government clearly does not understand the seriousness of the situation. It has failed to understand that all governments, be they dictatorial or otherwise, enjoy power because the people allow it to remain in power. No government can outlast the will of the people. It is clear that Nigerians do not and will not tolerate subsidy removal under the terms and conditions set out or laid down by the government.”
Our strike unstoppable - NLC
AS the spate of protests against the fuel hike rocks every nook and cranny of the country, the NLC, on Thursday, affirmed that nobody could stop the indefinite strike and mass protests against the removal of subsidy slated for Monday next week.
The union, in a statement signed by its Acting General Secretary, Comrade Owei Lakemfa, stated that there was no going back on the strike, as it “has no time for frivolous unsustainable and unproductive dialogue with the presidency or any of its dialogue committee” on the matter.
Meanwhile, Mallam Kabir Idris, an okada operator in Lokoja, said if the intention of the government was to improve the lives of Nigerians, so be it but advised caution.
He noted that President Goodluck Jonathan's campaign promises of fresh air should not be turned into fresh agony for the people, adding that he had a date with destiny.
Also, residents of Ondo State, on Monday, woke up to the reality of the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy, as transport fares skyrocketted in many towns in the state.
Checks in towns like Akure, Owo, Ikare-Akoko, Ondo, Okitipupa, among others, showed that intra-towns and inter-towns fares had gone up by almost 300 per cent.
Also, the pump price varied among the stations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), major and independent marketers.
While the NNPC mega station sells the product at the rate of N138 per litre, the major marketers sell between N140 and N145 and the independent markets sell at between N145 and N150 per litre.
It was, however, observed that there were not many queues in many of the filling stations, as the stations that had dispensed fuel before now were selling fuel.
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