The Nation Newspaper

Tag: protest

  • Protest at Amuwo-Odofin

    Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday protested the outcome of the primary election to pick candidates for next month’s local government election in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government in Lagos State.

    Joined by some indigenes including artisans, religious leaders, market women and landlords association, they called on APC stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to intervene in the process which they said threw up unpopular candidates in the area.

    Leader of the group, Comrade Eliot Oreofe, said: “It is high time the party structure understood the need to do things properly”.

    Oreofe urged the leaders to also look into the councillorship primary because “many people were denied their rightful places.”

  • Biafra Protest: IGP orders AIG, CPs to put personnel, equipment on red alert 

    Biafra Protest: IGP orders AIG, CPs to put personnel, equipment on red alert 

    …Warns group to rethink

     

     

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has ordered that Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) in South Eastern states of the country put personnel and equipment on red alert ahead of planned protest by some Biafran groups.

    The Police also warned the groups; the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) and other like groups not to embark on its planned protest.

    The group which plans on embarking on a protest on the 30th of May has also ordered market closure and restrictions of vehicular movements.

    The Police said it sees the activities of the groups as unlawful, highly provocative and capable of causing breach of the peace currently being enjoyed in the South East States and other States of the Federation.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja Friday by the Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood.

    The statement reads: “The Nigeria Police Force is deeply concerned with the security implications with regards to the renewed hostilities and subversive propagandas aimed at undermining law and order in some States of the Federation by these groups, their associates, sponsors, apologists and sympathizers.

    “Consequently, the Commissioners of Police in the affected States and their supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police, have been directed by the Inspector General of Police to be strict, polite, civil and firm in dealing with the situation and put all the Police Personnel and Police Anti-Riot equipment on red alert to deal decisively in accordance with the law with any eventuality from these groups, that can disrupt commercial activities, vehicular movements and safety of lives and properties in some States of the Federation considered to be flash points which have witnessed the unfortunate disturbance of public peace by these groups in the recent past.”

    “The Force sees the activities of these groups as not only unlawful but highly provocative and capable of causing breach of the peace currently being enjoyed in the South East States and other States of the Federation.

    “The planned protests and orders of Market closure and illegal unilateral self-imposed restrictions of vehicular movements by these groups in the affected States should be disregarded by all well-meaning Nigerians.”

    The statement further reads: “The Police Force is hereby calling (IPOB), (BIM), (MASSOB) to consider the consequences of their actions and activities and without delay and call themselves to order in the interest of National Security, and safety of lives and properties of every Nigerian across the Nation as the full weight of the law will be made to bear on violators of the laws.

    “The Force will not hesitate to deal decisively with any group(s) and their sponsors that attempt to cause disturbance of the peace or carry out any unlawful demonstration, unlawful assembly/procession or gathering and public disobedience that can jeopardise law and order and harmonious co-existence within and amongst Nigerians throughout the country.”

    The police while quoting the constitution noted that it was aware of the provision as contained in Sections 38, 39,40 and 41 of the 1999 amended constitution.

    “The Nigeria Police Force is not unaware of the rights of every Nigerian to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association and freedom of movement, as essentials of democracy provided by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended particularly sections 38, 39, 40 and 41.

    “However, these rights must be observed with decorum, in good faith and without violating the rights of other millions of Nigerians to free movements and access to public/private facilities and their means of livelihood on daily basis.

    “The Nigeria Police while observing the rights of all Nigerians as stated above is equally conscious of the fact that these rights are not absolute as section 45 of the same Constitution provide for derogations to these rights.

    “The fact that freedom of expression as one of the dictates of democracy is being observed by the Police, should not be misconstrued as liberty by any groups for sectional or group interest to violate the laws and cause mayhem, confusion and apprehension in the minds of more than about one hundred and seventy millions of Nigerians.

    “The Police will resist actions of any person or group of persons for whatever course that is against the interest of public defence, public safety, public order, public morality and a threat to the rights and freedom of other Nigerians,” it emphasised.”

    The Police advised the members of the public to go about their lawful duties and other responsibilities without any fear or apprehension as adequate security arrangements have been put in place for their safety.

     

  • FUTO reopens three months after violent protest

    Three months after the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) in Imo State was shut in response to a violent students’ protest, the school has re-opened for activities. The resumption followed the recommendations by a panel set up by the school Senate to look into the violence.

    There were several botched attempts by the school to resume after the panel concluded its findings, but the resumption was delayed till last week.

    Students were asked to pay reparation fee of N12,500 as part of the conditions for resumption. There was also no reduction in the school fees – the cause of the protest.

    As they returned, students were required to present evidence of payment of approved school fee, evidence of payment of surcharge fee, and signed letters of undertaking to be of good conduct.

    Postgraduate students were exempted from praying the reparation fee. The school said the first semester exams would start three weeks after the resumption.

    The students demonstrated against fee increment. The protest started peacefully before it resulted in destruction of school properties.

    Fifteen students were arrested in connection with the violence that marred the protest.

  • Police warns IPOB against planned protest

    Police warns IPOB against planned protest

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has warned Indegenous People of Barra (IPOB) not to embark on it’s planned protest.

    The Police said the warning is imperative because the protest could result in breakdown of law and order.

    This warning is contained in a statement in Abuja by the Command Spokesperson, ASP Usen Omorodion.

    The statement reads: “Intelligence report at the disposal of police revealed that a certain group identified as the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) has threatened to take over the street of FCT in the name of registering their protest.

    “The commissioner of police hereby warns individual and groups against indulging in acts of protest that will result to breakdown of law and order in the federal capital territory.

    “To this end, the commissioner of police hereby warns those behind the proposed action to desist forthwith in their own interest as the said protest would be tantamount to the peace of the federal capital territory FCT.

    The statement further reads: “As a professional organization saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and properties, the FCT command would not fold its arms and watch criminal elements hide under the guise of such protest to cause breakdown of law and order.”

    The Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo however advised FCT residents to go about their lawful duties without fear and molestation adding that the command is well prepared and possesses the necessary wherewithal to confront any threat to the serene peace of the FCT.

    Meanwhile, the Police also disclosed that it has increased it’s patrol team on major roads, entry and exit route around the FCT as part of measures to ensure smooth workers day celebration.

    The CP also said he has directed his men to man recreational parks and other places of public interest.

  • Protest at Agric ministry

    Protest at Agric ministry

    The people of Ndi Oji Abam in Ohafia local government area of Abia state have protested against what they called years of marginalisation by those who have been managing the rubber estate situated on their land.

    They said that they have been short changed as those managing the estate have reneged on the agreement reached with the then Premier of the defunct Eastern Nigeria, late Dr Michael Okpara who set up the estate.

    They recalled that when the estate was established that there were agreements on how the place would be managed which includes employment of the indigenes of the area and royalties that should be accruable to them which have been abandoned by those in charge of the place.

    The people however reminded the present administration led by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to implement his campaign promise to make agriculture the economic base of his government.

    Speaking during a peaceful demonstration at the premises of the state ministry of agriculture in Umuahia, the leader of the group Ezeogo Chika Oji said his people are worried that the governor has not been able the make agriculture his economic base as promised.

    Oji said that they were at the ministry to protest the wrong being done to them over the rubber estate which is located at their land, stressing that the rubber estate is a veritable source of fulfilling his promises.

    He alleged that those who had been managing the rubber estate have not been doing the plan with which the former premier of the defunct Eastern Nigeria, late Dr Michael Okpara when he established the estate.

    The leader of the group said that the estate which was established about fifty years ago by the Eastern Nigeria government was managed by a corporation which “Employed various cadre of workers and the donor communities had the privilege of having their children being engaged”.

    He said, “During that time the royalties accruable to the communities were defined and religiously sustained which the present administration is finding difficult to implement till date”.

    Oji recalled that the problem of the estate started in 1988 when it was leased out to a company which interest was to extract and transport the rubber latex for their own interest while they tell the host communities of low sales, failure to pay royalties and not able to pay workers.

    He noted that despite all odds that the people managing the estate has left it to grow into a thick forest, “This has made it possible for the communities to house over five thousand cows that graze within and outside the estate which is source of threat to our people”.

    Their leader said that the people of Ndi Oji Abam is using the occasion to appeal to the governor to intervene in the delay by the Ministry of Agriculture to release the outstanding sum of N 1.350 million being the part of the royalty accruable them for the year 2016.

    Orji said, “There was an agreement between the ministry and the host communities except Ndi Oji that the sum of N4.8 million be held in trust by the ministry for the host communities pending when an election into Amaeke Development Union is conducted”.

    “Part of the money has been paid and efforts made towards recovering the remaining sum of N1.350 million has proved abortive, hence this appeal for intervention for the payment of the money which is part of the royalty the ministry held in trust for us”.

    “We reject the companies that are said to be awarded the management of the rubber estate, our interaction with them shows that they do not have any knowledge of how a rubber estate is managed”.

    The commissioner for agriculture Rt Hon Uzor Azubuike later called some of the leaders and elders of the Ndi Oji into his office for interaction and a source at the meeting told The Nation that the commissioner insisted on the community working with the current investor.

    The source said, “After we had laid our grievances before the commissioner, he insisted that we must accept to work with the investor who had already signed an MoU with the state government, which we refused”.

    “Our refusal is based on the fact that the investors like those before them will only exploit the estate and we insisted on an investor like INNOSON group which has the capacity to rehabilitate and develop the rubber plantation”.

    Part of the placards they people of Ndi Oji carried read, ‘We have been fooled for the past 50 years today, we say no more’, ‘This looting is not late Dr Michael Okpara’s plan, he was full of passion and ideas for the people’, ‘If you say no to our request, please take your rubber while we take our land’ among others.

  • Herdsmen killings: Benue indigenes protest

    Scores of indigenes of Benue State resident in Lagos, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest to the Lagos State House of Assembly over the incessant attack of the people of the state by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

    Some of their placards read; “no more herdsmen,” “disarm all Fulani herdsmen,” and “PMB say something about the killing.”

    The protesters, who were in the Assembly under the auspices of ‘Mdzough Tiv Lagos State’ presented a protest letter on the issue, addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari to the lawmakers.

    The letter was co-signed by the Association’s BOT Chairman, Chief Alfred Ubee, President, Hon. Kwaghbo, Co-ordinator, Ichul Wisdom and another Co- ordinator, Engineer Benjamin Kua.

    In the letter, the protesters demanded the immediate evacuation of all Fulani herdsmen currently occupying the ancestral home of the people of the state in line with the directive of the Benue State Governor.

    They also demanded that the government must not be seen as partial as, according to them, ‘the death of one man is our collective death.’

    “All bills/enactments pending at the National Assembly as well as the Benue State House of Assembly that are aimed at finding a permanent solution to these killings be given accelerated attention.

    “They should be harmonized and passed into law with immediate effect. This should be done without unduly favouring any segment affected by such a bill/enactment,” they said in the letter.

    In addition, the protesters demanded an immediate and conclusive investigation of all incidents recorded in the area so far, adding that all the perpetrators should be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    Addressing the protesters, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa said that the House was known for peace and that it is an advocate of peace.

    Obasa, who was represented by Hon. Jude Idimogu representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency II, said: “All we want is peace. We know that the Federal Government is trying, however , the government has to do more.

    “We need peace in this country. destruction of lives and property is not what we need in our nation. The leadership of the House will look into the matter as soon as we resume from recess on Tuesday, March 28, 2017,” he said.

  • Students protest killing of colleague in Lafia

    Students of Government Science School, Lafia on Monday took to the streets to protest the killing of one of their colleagues, allegedly by a family member of a senior government official.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the students, who held green leaves and placards with various inscriptions, marched from the school to the Government House, Lafia, a distance of five kilometres.

    NAN also reports that it took the intervention of the Commissioner for Education, Tijjani Ahmed, and the police, to calm down the enraged students and persuade them to return to the school.

    Addressing the students, Ahmed appealed to them to remain calm and assured them that the culprit would be brought to book.

    “Since the accident happened around 8 p.m. on Sunday, both the management of the school and the state government have not rested.

    “Already, the governor has constituted a committee that will meet with the family of the deceased, to commence burial arrangements,” he said.

    NAN sources indicated that the deceased, whose name was given as Amos Ovey, was killed by a speeding car, when he stepped out of the premises to buy battery for his torch light.

    Confirming the incident, Mr Maikudi Shehu, Police Area Commandant in charge of Lafia Area Command, said that the driver of the car was currently in detention.

    “The driver and the car are in police custody; we want to assure members of the public that we shall dig into the matter and deal with whoever is involved, no matter his position in the society,” he said.

  • Ogun doctors protest decay in health sector

    Ogun doctors protest decay in health sector

    Doctors in Ogun State, under the aegis of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), yesterday marched on Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s office to protest the decay in the health sector.

    They demanded regular payment of their salaries and dues, recruitment of more personnel, procurement of adequate and modern equipment  as well as improved infrastructure.

    The doctors, clad in their lab coats,  were addressed by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa.

    They also  “visited” the House of Assembly.

    They sang solidarity songs and carried placards.

    Speaking at the Governor’s Office, NMA Chairman Abayomi Olajide admitted the governor “has been doing a lot but he is doing nothing in the health sector”.

    Olajide said the number of health workers in the state “is abysmally poor and infrastructure is nothing to write home about”.

    He explained that the union decided not to go on  strike in order not to worsen the deplorable state of the health sector.

    Adeoluwa admitted  the health sector is facing challenges, but said :”It is uncharitable to say the government has not done nothing in the health sector.”

    The SSG recalled that the Amosun-led administration inherited a bad sector in 2011, but has made improvements.

    Adeoluwa blamed the challenges on paucity of funds, assuring the union the governor will soon address the challenges.

    He said: “Most of what you have said are true. We are not the government that derives joy in telling lies.

    “It is not as if we have done nothing, please. We are not where we should be, I admit. More should be done, we admit.

    “But it is entirely uncharitable, please pardon me, to say the government has done nothing.

    “We have more than doubled the number of health workers we met on ground in 2011. We want to do more.”

    At the House of Assembly, the Clerk, Bisiriyu Lanre, collected the NMA’s letter and promised that the Assembly would intervene.

  • Protest against Customs duties in Onitsha

    Activities were disrupted yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra State, following a protest by Coalition of Civil Society of Nigeria (COSCON), tagged: “Ali must go”.

    The protest followed the directive by Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Col Hammed Ali that owners of vehicles with unpaid duties should pay up  on or before April 12.

    The protesters drawn from Anambra, Edo, Rivers, Imo, Enugu and Abia states converged on the Achebe Mini Stadium, Fegge.

    They carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Ali must resign”; “Col. Hameed Ali blame your officers not Nigerians”; “Hameed Ali we are in a democracy”; “Ali is tired he should go”; “Nigerian Customs’ boss belongs to old school and cannot perform”, among others.

    The protesters were led by the Anambra State convener, Uzor A. Uzor and his Edo State counterpart, Omobunde Agho.

    They sang and marched from the stadium to NCS Area Office on Asaba-Enugu Expressway.

    At the NCS gate, officers did not address them. They locked the gate and were discussing, laughing and going about their business.

    Agho said: “Ali is behaving as if he is a law unto himself and making harsh policies to further impoverish the masses.

    “Corruption has eaten deep into the Customs service and Ali is creating more avenues for his men to be more corrupt.”

    Uzor said Ali must honour the National Assembly’s invitation and appear in his uniform.

    Anambra State Coordinator of COSCON Noel Udeoji condemned the policy and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Ali .

  • Health Ministry’s guards protest over unpaid salaries

    Health Ministry’s guards protest over unpaid salaries

    Security men attached to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) at Yaba, Lagos Mainland yesterday protested against the alleged non payment of their salaries for eight months.
    They blocked the entrance of the establishment for over three hours, chanting chanted ‘‘no pay, no work.’’
    The guards, who are mostly legionnaires, prevented workers and visitors from entering the building.
    A protester, Major Olusegun Jagundina (rtd), said they had not paid since August.
    The ministry, he said, promised to pay them but it has not.
    He said: “We wrote to them on February 14 giving two weeks ultimatum for them to pay us. We also had a protest on March 2, and they promised us from Abuja that they will pay our salary on or before March 10. We are surprised that till today, they have not paid us. We called them last week and they said they are meeting. The last thing we heard was that they said ‘no money’.
    “We are swimming in poverty in our homes; we have no money to take care of our families. We are Nigerians and the constitution does not allow government to owe workers salary, they are to pay workers as when due. Monthly salary is not meant to be owed. Our own case is the reverse, this is the eighth month we have not received salary. It is better that we protest so that the authority will know that we are suffering, so that they will listen to us and pay our salary.”
    He added: “We cannot continue to be a staff and be suffering. This is why we locked the gate and prevented all workers from entering the office, so that they can realise what we are suffering. We are doing our job with loyalty, we did not commit any sin nor did we commit any harm, so they must listen to us and pay us,” he said.
    Captain Gabriel Isijola (rtd) said: “From August last year till date, we have not been paid and it is affecting us. We cannot pay our children’s school fees, we cannot pay our landlord and we cannot feed. We have to borrow money which we never pay back. This is the eighth month that we have been suffering in silence. Everything is costly in the market; we have no kobo, so we are begging the FMoH in Abuja to come to our aid and pay us our salaries.”
    According to Lieutenant Napoleon Elure (rtd), they have been suffering while working without pay. He said: “Most of our wives are not happy with us; we have been given quit notices from our homes; it has not being easy for someone to be working for eight months without payment. We old soldiers cannot feed our families; it is bad, what are we old soldiers for?
    He said they had become liars because they have been borrowing, promising to pay without doing so.
    Elure said: “FMoH should please pay our money, we are old soldiers and we work selflessly for the community. They should put themselves in our shoes to see how we are suffering.”

    Lieutenant Simeon Ogwuche accused the ministry of always giving them false hopes, adding that they cannot continue the way things are.
    He said: “We cannot continue with unpaid salaries. As workers receive their salaries, let us also be paid. Nobody can survive without being paid eight months salary in this country. We have lost our respect with our wives and children, since we keep saying we don’t have money. It is like we are liars because we go to work every day. FMoH should stop owing us salaries.”