Police Disperse Anti-Subsidy Protest In Kano, Workers Adamant In Oyo

A protest organised by some groups in order to express their displeasure over the removal of fuel subsidy has been dispersed by the Kano State Police Command.

An eyewitness said the protest had begun before the arrival of security operatives.

“The protesters had assembled at the Gidan Murtala very close to Kofar Nassarawa Road, a two-kilometer journey to the Kano Municipal Local Government Council as early as 7am on Tuesday.

“But when pressmen arrived at the scene, policemen took over the venue where the protest had already been held.”

A statement jointly signed by the chair and secretary of the Joint Action Front (JAF), Dr Dipo Fashina, and Abiodun Aremu, called on Nigerians to resist the increase in fuel prices, electricity tariffs and say no to increase in tuition fees in tertiary institutions.

The group also called on the populace to reject the IMF and World Bank policies of privatisation and deregulation.

JAF said, “The flames of resistance begin now in Lagos, Kano, Benin, Osogbo, Abuja, Ibadan and Ilorin till Tinubu’s government shows concern to change the unbearable policies. The suffering must stop.

“The government has a responsibility to make our refineries work and build new ones in order to ensure the availability of petroleum products (petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel, etc) at cheaper and affordable prices to all.

“Total reversal of the capitalist policies of privatisation and deregulation which have been responsible for non-functioning of the local refineries, looting by government officials and fuel marketers through fuel importation and the subsidy fraud.”

Meanwhile, protest continued into second day in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, as workers blocked the entry and exit gates of the state secretariat. 

Daily Trust had reported that the protest which started on Monday was organized by workers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) over a number of demands relating to their emoluments and working conditions from the state government. 

Appeals by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security, Mr Sunday Odukoya, fell on deaf ears as the labour leaders insisted on the governor speaking to them on their agitations. 

On the government’s position put out by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Dotun Oyelade, on Monday, the labour leaders said they wanted practical implementation of pronouncements just as they noted that there was a litany of other requests that the state government had yet to attend to. 

Among the requests of the workers are payment of salary deductions, palliatives for workers, upward review of pension allowances, payment of leave bonus, payment of gratuities to retirees who have been stagnated since the year 2021, and release of promotion letters for the year 2021 and 2022.