The Nation Newspaper

Tag: protest

  • Pro-Biafra protest rocks Enugu

    Thousands of pro-Biafra activists marched on the streets of Enugu at the weekend to protest the continued detention of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s  (IPOB’s) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    They also demanded the recognition of the Sovereign State of Biafra.

    The protesters, who chanted anti-Federal Government slogans and declared their opposition to Kanu’s incarceration, said they would not relent in their agitation for the actualisation of the state of Biafra.

    Some Christians in New Haven joined the protest, with the police driving behind the protesters to avoid any ugly incident.

    Soldiers at the Gariki Barracks cordoned off Agbani Road, which leads to the barracks. This caused a gridlock.

    The anti-Ralph Uwazuirike faction of the Movement of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has supported the demonstrations, saying it would join forces with IPOB until Kanu is released.

    In a statement by its Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, the group gave the government till Wednesday to release Kanu or face more protests.

  • Student’s death sparks protest at FUNAAB

    Student’s death sparks protest at FUNAAB

    Did Maria Atere have a premonition of her death? The 400-Level Plant Physiology and Crop Production student of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State died in a road crash,  few hours after she said she wanted to see Jesus Christ. But, to her colleagues, the institution’s failure to come to her aid immediately after the accident led to her death. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

    I want to see Jesus Christ.” This was said to be the late Maria Atere’s last words while discussing with her pastor and colleagues after service penultimate Sunday. She died in a road crash hours later.
    Maria, a 400-Level Plant Physiology and Crop Production student of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB) Ogun State, died from injuries sustained in the accident on Camp-Alabata Road, a busy motorway that stretches to the institution’s main gate.
    She was returning to her off-campus hostel at 7pm when the commercial motorcycle conveying her had a head-on collision with a cab. The motorcyclist died on the spot.
    She was identified as a student on the scene of the accident by sympathisers, who called the Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Dennis Nwenonye, to notify the school management. Told the severity of Maria’s injury, it was gathered that Dennis called other SUG leaders living off-campus to get her, while he rushed to the school Health Centre for an ambulance and doctor’s referral to take her to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abeokuta.
    The doctor on duty, it was learnt, refused to issue the referral, asking that Maria be brought to the clinic before he can refer her to the FMC. Dennis then spoke with the Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), who ordered the release of the ambulance to take Maria to the FMC.
    Before the ambulance arrived, some students had taken Maria in the SUG bus to a private hospital where she was referred her to the FMC. But, a few minutes after her admission, she died.
    Her death led to a protest by students, who accused the school management of negligence. The protesters, led by SUG leaders, demanded the sack of the Director of the Health Centre, saying the late Maria could have been saved had the medical staff responded to the situation in time.
    The protesters demanded N50 million compensation for the bereaved family. They called for the dualisation of the Camp-Alabata Road, which they described as a death trap. They barricaded the school gate and marched on the Administrative Block to draw the management’s attention to their grievance.
    Although the school is on holiday, lecturers and non-teaching staff, who had other activities on the campus, were prevented from entering.
    Reacting, the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Olusola Oyewole, set up an investigative panel chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics, Prof Muftau Waheed, to probe the alleged negligence by the Health Centre staff.
    The panel was given a week for the job. Its Secretary, Mr Bright Obiriwonsi, led the school delegation on a condolence visit to the late Maria’s parents.
    It was gloomy at the 16 Alfa-Nda Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos home of bereaved parents. When CAMPUSLIFE visited the house last Friday, sympathisers were streaming to console them.
    Her father, Mr Emmanuel Atere, a pastor, betrayed emotion as he recalled how he learnt about his daughter’s death. As he spoke with our reporter, his wife, Felicia, also a pastor, wept uncontrolly. She gazed at the ceiling, deep in thought.
    “I call this tragic incident a trial of faith,” Pastor Atere said, wondering why his daughter suffered “that cruel fate”, despite being a born-again Christian.
    He described the late Maria as a child of God, who did not bear grudge against anyone. “She loved God and her siblings. She was always cheerful and free with anyone,” he said.
    Reliving how he received the news, Atere said “untimely death” was the least he expected in his household as he prepared to sleep that fateful day. He said he had just finished his night prayer when he got a telephone call from Victoria, his first daughter, at 9:45pm.
    “Victoria said I should start praying for Maria. I asked what happened to her; she told me her sister was in a coma. I became restless immediately. I could not call my wife, because I did not know if she had been told Maria was in a coma. I later got to know she was told that Maria was sick. We started praying immediately. We held a vigil all through the night; I did not sleep.
    “At 4am on Monday, a senior Redeemed Christian Church of God pastor called me and told me to start coming to Lagos. I asked if Maria had woken up from coma, he said she was still being attended to.
    He said I should take the next available flight to Lagos… After a few minutes, the pastor sent money for a flight ticket into my account.
    “My friend took me to the airport at 5am. I was crying as we approached the airport, because I knew something tragic must have happened. But, I continued praying to God to avert calamity in my family. After I landed in Lagos, my son joined me and we departed for Abeokuta immediately.
    “I met other family members with the Catholic Bishop of Abeokuta Diocese and pastor of the church Maria attended. They took me to a mortuary and I was surprised. When I asked what was happening, they said my daughter was in the mortuary. At this point, I broke into tears and lost my memory. I could recall the Bishop led another prayer session at the mortuary to call back Maria’s spirit, but she did not wake up.”
    Atere said the Bishop told him his daughter’s last words were: “I am in severe pain, let me go and rest in the bosom of Christ.” Atere said he is consoled that Maria died knowing Christ.
    On the allegation that Maria died because of the school’s tardiness, Atere said he left everything to God to judge. “It is only God that can wipe away our tears. Whatever the school authorities have to say would be in their own favour. We don’t ask for any compensation; it would have been our joy if she was honoured while she was alive,” he said.

  • Nonagenarian leads protest to Lagos Assembly

    •Wants LASG to return her schools

    A 91 year old woman Mrs Roseline Ololo, has cried out to the Lagos State House of Assembly to assist her in ensuring the return of her schools-Metropolitan College and Isolo Secondary School taken over by the military government in 1976 which led to her husband’s death.

    Mrs Ololo who led a protest to the Assembly on Thursday last week, was on the wheel chair with other youths and her lawyer chanting protest songs.

    ‘I am here for the government to return my schools to me. I want my school back which was seized. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has given order that they should return all private schools to the owners but they have not returned mine after several efforts.

    “We have been going up and down.  My husband died in the course of seeking the return of the schools we both struggled to establish.”

    Mrs. Ololo explained to newsmen that when the school was taken over by the military, she was not given any form of compensation.

    “They did not give me any money because they don’t even know where I was and they don’t know where we are. They have been telling us to come but nothing has been done,” she added.

    The protesters carried placards with inscriptions like: “It’s our right to own properties”, “Speaker, speak the truth;” “Laws are passed for the good of citizens;” “Justice for Mama Ololo;” “Hon. Speaker, please intervene;” “Stop this injustice” among others.

    In a letter presented to the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, the protesters urged the lawmakers to assist the old woman to get her properties back.

    “We have the instruction of our client to appeal to you to investigate the basis for the refusal, neglect or failure of the Lagos State government to return Metropolitan College and Isolo Secondary Schools to their original owner.

    “We have met with the executives and submitted series of letters but nothing has been done. We only need lawmakers to help us,” the statement read.

    The counsel to the old woman, Malcolm Omirhobo, added that the proprietor refused to receive the compensation the then military government offered for the affected schools.

    In his reaction, Mojeed Fatai representing Ibeju Lekki Constituency 1, who represented the Speaker, promised that the House would look into the matter.

    “We thank you for the peaceful demonstration and if there is need to call you, we will. I promise to deliver your message to Mr Speaker,” he said.

     

  • Students protest ‘deplorable’ facilities

    Students protest ‘deplorable’ facilities

    arly morning protest, on Monday, hit the University of Calabar (UNICAL), with students moving round the campus to draw management attention to what they called deplorable state of infrastructure in the school.

    By 6am, students had come out of their hostels to embark on the demonstration, which was informed by lack of water in the hostel, poor sanitary and healthcare service, epileptic power supply, dilapidated hostel facilities and abandoned renovation work on the Halls of Residences.

    Although the protest was peaceful, the students said it was unhuman for the management to keep the campus in darkness for three weeks, saying the blackout in Calabar should not affect the school.

    The protesters swarmed the school main gate, preventing lecturers and non-teaching staff to move into the campus. This led to traffic congestion on the major roads leading to the school; motorists spent hours to make detour to alternative routes.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof James Epoke, led other principal officers of the school to pacify the protesters at the gate, but the students gave the VC a little audience. They told the VC to follow them to see the state of their hostels.

    Prof Epoke said the management was facing financial challenge, which made it unable to meet the students’ demand. He said the school had put some facilities in place despite its financial circumstance.

    He promised that the management would address the issue in due time.

    The students could not be convinced by the VC’s statement; some of the protesters chanted anti-management songs. They insisted that the VC should visit their hostels.

    As the protest continued, the management issued a memo stating that it would meet the demands of the students within 14 days.

    Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Ekpo Tete, said the union would ensure the management fulfilled its promise.

    Ekpo, while addressing the protesters, said students should vacate their hostels to allow renovation work. He said the management had shown its commitment by road rehabilitation and purchase of over 100 mattresses for students’ use.

     

  • Protest in LAUTECH over rape, robbery

    Protest in LAUTECH over rape, robbery

    Increase in the spate of robbery and rape in the host community of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has led to a protest by students, last Monday.

    The protesters, who were led by Students’ Union Government (SUG) leaders, shut down of all entrances to the university, denying both staffs and visitors entrance into the campus. The demonstrators, who barricaded the school gate for hours, prevented the Vice–Chancellor (VC), Prof Sulaiman Gbadegesin, and other principal officers from gaining access to the school.

    For 45 minutes, top officials of the school management made effort to persuade the protesters to re-open the school gate, but the students rebuffed. Attempts by the VC to speak to the students were futile.

    Hours after, the students left the school gate to protest on the Ogbomoso-Ilorin Expressway.

    Halls of Residence close to the campus have lately been invaded by unknown hoodlums, who robbed and sexually-abused students. Some students, who live far from the campus, were mugged on their way to their hostels.

    In the past weeks, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that more than seven students had fallen victims. The assailants, after forcing their ways into the hostels, robbed students at point gunpoint. The protesters alleged that the management showed no concern on the excuse that the incidents occurred outside the campus.

    The General Secretary of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), Hamzat Jamiu, who was part of the protesters, said the situation was unacceptable, noting that the students embarked on the protest when management did not respond to their complaints.

    He said: “The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the insensitivity of the management to the plight of students. Rather than strengthening security around the off-campus hostel, the management increased the acceptance fee of the freshers.”

    The SUG Welfare Director, Ridwan Okedara, said the solution to the problem was for the school to provide hostels on campus.

    The management could not be reached for comment.

  • Indigenes protest ministerial list

    Indigenes protest ministerial list

    Some indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly over what they called the non-inclusion of an indigenous person on the ministerial list.

    They protested under the auspices of the Coalition of Indigenous Groups of the FCT.

    The protesters numbering over 100 gathered at the Eagle Square from where they marched to the National Assembly. They bore placards with such inscriptions as ’FCT indigenes deserve Ministerial slot’, ‘We need a second-tier government in FCT’, ’PMB please appoint an FCT indigene as a Minister, for fair representation at FEC’.

    Spokesperson of the group, Comrade Dalhatu Ezekiel said that they staged the peaceful protest after the list of nominees sent by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate on September 30 had no FCT original inhabitant on it.

    “We demand to be treated fairly, as enshrined in Section 299 of 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). When it comes to education, we produce graduates with good grades yearly, with wonderful areas of specialisation, like engineers, doctors and lawyers.

    “We are calling on President Buhari to appoint an original inhabitant of FCT as a Minister. We demand that the FCT be given a 2nd tier of government to carter for the original inhabitants as applicable in other states, like administrative and political structure of the FCT.

    “We demand for the appointments of FCT original inhabitants as chairmen of Boards into the Federal Government Ministries, Dep-artments and Agencies. We shall continue to support President Buhari and the National Assembly in all ramifications towards ensuring that the administration succeeds given the benefit of doubt. We shall at the same time stop at nothing, but will explore all avenues to ensuring that our demands are met rather than been overlooked,” he said.

    The Chairman Senate Committee on Information, Senator Dino Melaye, who spoke with the protesting natives, commended the peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves, telling them that the only agenda of the 8th Senate is the people.

    He appealed to them not worry because the present administration is going to listen to their plight and give them what they are agitating for.

    In a related development, a lawyer, Mr James Ndeye, has said some indigenous people of the FCT will sue the Federal Government if it fails to appoint an indigenous Abuja person a minister.

    Ndeye, himself an indigene, was speaking on behalf of others, said the omission of an Abuja native from the list of ministerial nominees submitted to the National Assembly was a breach of their constitutional rights and not privileges.

    The indigenous people urged President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his promise made to FCT indigenes during his campaign.

    Ndeye said, “It is no longer an issue of pleading but a constitutional right. We can seek legal redress, even if it means taking civil disobedience we would even do a simple peaceful protest to tell the authority this is what we want but we are not ready for violence,” he said.

    He explained that the natives have not seen any indications that an original inhabitant is included or would be included in the list of ministerial nominees whom he said could be the last batch of potential ministers.

    “There are so many areas injustices have been meted to the natives of Abuja and we thought that by this administration and with the party slogan of change we are going to experience change. But we are surprised that nothing new is coming our way.

    “I blame our political leaders, especially the elected area councils chairmen and the National Assembly members, who have failed over the years to organize pressure group in the FCT, irrespective of political party affiliation and differences like our past Nigerian leaders who in one voice in different parties sang one chorus for our independence,” he said.

     

  • Igbo traders protest ‘outrageous’ tax in Ekiti

    Igbo traders protest ‘outrageous’ tax in Ekiti

    •Fayose seals banks, petrol station, over 100 shops
    •Angry traders invade revenue office

    Scores of Igbo shop owners on Secretariat Road, Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday protested what they called “outrageous taxes” imposed on them by the Ayo Fayose administration.

    Over 100 shops belonging to Igbo traders, Zenith and Diamond banks and NNPC mega filling station were shut by officials of the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) in an operation that began at 9am.

    The traders marched from their shops to the BIR headquarters opposite Old Governor’s Office and sang songs such as “We no go gree o, we no go gree”, among others.

    Frightened BIR workers shut their doors on the protesters and didn’t open them until the 4pm closing time.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Revenue Ropo Ogunjobi was not at his desk when the protesters invaded the BIR headquarters.

    The traders claimed that they entered into an agreement with BIR for a tax rate of N5,500 but officials of the tax agency visited their business offices yesterday morning claiming the agreed tax no longer subsists.

    Chairman of Secretariat Road Traders Association Uchenna Madunagu claimed that BIR imposed taxes ranging between N75,000 and N180,000 on the traders, which he said are too much for their businesses.

    Madunagu said the traders were forced out of their shops by stern-looking armed policemen, civil defence officers and suspected thugs clutching chains and padlocks.

    The traders’ boss claimed that most of the traders still had cash, passbooks, cheques and keys to their homes inside the shops.

    Madunagu said: “The newly imposed taxes have no basis anywhere because a tax is supposed to be based on your income and you don’t do assessment of taxes in your room, you have to come to our shops and see the business we run.

    “You don’t have to send hoodlums and thugs to close our shops. Imagine a shop that the goods inside is not up to N200,000 being asked to pay N100,000.

    “The most painful part is that we entered into an agreement with the tax people and they gave us a bill of N5,500 and as the chairman, I told my members because things are difficult in Ekiti and Nigeria now.

    “We came to their office based on the agreement of N5,500 only for them to tell us that the one we agreed upon is no longer valid that they are coming up with new taxes.

    “They came with keys, chains and other things and used force to intimidate us. Why should shop owners in Ajilosun be paying N3,500 and those in Fajuyi be paying N5,500 and those of us on Secretariat Road be paying between N75,000 and N180,000?

    “We have been paying taxes every year, not that we don’t want to pay but this latest tax regime is unbearable and their approach is selective because we contribute much to commerce and economy in Ekiti.

    “Most of our belongings such as keys to our houses, cash, cheque books, passbooks and other valuables have been locked inside by the government agents.

    “They should open our shops and listen to us, we are citizens of this country and we should not be marginalised because we are contributing between 80 and 90 per cent to the economy in Ekiti.”

    Secretary of the association Chizom Unegbu urged Fayose to reduce the taxes, saying there should be no selective application of taxes in the state.

    Ogunjobi said the question of the traders paying N5,500 never emanated from his office.

    He said: “Those traders are lying.  The N5,500 they are talking about is not from this office because what we are talking about now is the Personal Income Tax.

    “We have assessed them, they should go and collect the assessment notice and go to the bank and pay their taxes.”

    Diamond bank was said to be owing operational tax which used to be N10,000 in the past but has been jerked up to N120,000.

    A source said the tax has been paid after which the bank was reopened, meaning that its doors will be opened to customers today.

     

  • Players’ protest in Government House was orchestrated – Iorfa

    Players’ protest in Government House was orchestrated – Iorfa

    Following the protest of Lobi Stars Football Club players to the Benue State Governor over unpaid salaries and match bonuses amidst poor management, the Vice Chairman of the club has responded saying his enemies want him out because he didn’t support the new government during electioneering.

    Mr Iorfa, who have been at the helm of affairs at the club for over 14 years explained that he couldn’t afford to support the present Governor, Samuel Ortom as that would have amounted to anti-party activities considering that the ruling party then was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “Because Suswam is in the PDP, I cannot as chairman of the Club be seen to be indulging in anti party activities given the government in power. Money only comes to us from government because it is a government club. So, when the new government came, people thought that they will take advantage of it. Those who want to blackmail me are just being mischievous but I am too big for that. I don’t have their time. I will always give my best and we’ve been in the FA Cup final four times and preparing for the final against Akwa United.”

    He added that he had run the club credible well and wondered why people were antagonising instead of supporting him.

    “Those who complain that I have led the club for 14 years without a league trophy should ask themselves how many teams in the league have won the league title in Nigeria. Only four have done so namely Kano Pillars, Dolphins, Enyimba and Bayelsa United. I don’t understand why people instead of supporting the team to grow are bent on running me down.

    “The English Premier League that many know about, how many of the teams in the league have won the League trophy. I can beat my chest proudly to say I have led Lobi Stars creditably. We’ve played in the continent, have won the FA Cup, have finished as runners up and have never gone on relegation. Clubs like Shooting Stars, Plateau United to mention a few have suffered that fate but Lobi has been in the league every season.”

  • APGA supporters protest judgment

    APGA supporters protest judgment

    •Be law abiding, chairman urges

    Supporters of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State have protested the tribunal verdicts which did not favour their party. They said there would be consequences if the judgments were not reversed.

    APGA lost the cases decided so far at the tribunal.

    The protesters carried placards and chanted solidarity songs. Riot policemen were, however, on ground to curtail violence.

    Some of the placards read: “APGA leaders, can you recover our mandate?”; “We need justice at the election tribunal”; “Tribunal judgments is unfair”.

    Leader of the group Chukwuemeka Mba told party leaders that they had come to register their anger because “the change we need here in Abia was not being realised because of the verdicts coming out of the tribunal, which we believe are wrong”.

    Mba said: “The verdict of the tribunal that gave legal stamp to fictitious results has justified our fears, and we have been gripped with anxiety that the remaining cases might not favor our candidates.

    “If the leaders allow the remaining cases to go the same way, our reactions will not be palatable for there is a limit to human endurance.”

    A youth leader, Friday Obinna lamented that Abia youths were getting the short end of the stick and vowed that if the verdicts continued to go against APGA, they would take to the streets.

    Receiving the protesters, state chairman Rev Augustine Ehiemere praised them for conducting themselves peacefully. He assured them that the party would not rest until it recovered its lost mandates.

    “I want to assure you that we are keeping in touch with both the judicial and political leaders at the highest level to ensure that those who are part of the criminal connivance to sell justice to the highest bidder against the law are made to bear the consequences.”

    National Chairman Dr Victor Ike Oye has urged party faithful to be law abiding and shun violence, even in the face of extreme provocation.

  • UNICAL shut down after students’ protest

    UNICAL shut down after students’ protest

    The University of Calabar was Monday shut down for two weeks following a protest by students of the institution.

    Activities in the school were grounded to a halt as the students of protested poor welfare.

    The students in their thousands bore placards protesting lack of water, electricity and increase in school fee and other charges.

    The protesting students locked all the entrances to the institution for hours.

    A statement signed by the Registrar of the institution, Moses Abang, read, “The management of the University of Calabar has announced a two week mid semester break for all students of the University with effect from today, 12th October, 2015.

    “Students are expected to vacate the hostels on or before 6 pm to enable management address the issues raised by the students.

    “Normal academic activities would resume in Friday 30th October 2015.

    “No students should be found on campus, especially within the hostels are 6pm today.”