The Nation Newspaper

Tag: protest

  • Kano Muslims protest detention of Morsi

    Over 1,000 Muslims yesterday protested the ouster and detention of the former Egyptian President Muhammad Morsi.

    The Egyptian leader was ousted in the July 3 coup d’etat.

    The protest, which was organised by the Alliance of Muslim Organisations and Civil Rights Groups in the North, was held at the Kofa Mata Mosque in Kano city.

    The protesters called for Morsi’s release and his reinstatement.

    The placard-carrying demonstrators said they were joining the league of countries which believe in fairness and have respect for democratic ideals.

    They condemned the ongoing killings and other atrocities in Egypt.

    The group described as provocative the continued arrest, detention and torture of Egyptians, including the Spiritual head Ikhwan, Dr Muhammad Badi’e; his deputy, Dr Khairat As-shatir; the Chairman and Secretary of Al-Wasat Party, top Morsi’s advisers and respected Ulama.

  • Protest over ‘uncompleted’ projects

    Protest over ‘uncompleted’ projects

    The residents of Ijora/Badia in Apapa/Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, yesterday protested the tardiness of the World Bank road and infrastructure project being handled by the Lagos Metropolitan Governance and Development Project (LMGDP) under the supervision of the state government.

    They stormed the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja with placards bearing inscriptions such as: “Pay the contractor to finish our roads;” “Our streets have become refuse dumpsites,” and “Save our soul,” among others.

    The chairman, Oguntayo North Council Developing Area of Ijora Badia, Mr Saka Yusuf, said: “The World Bank, through the LMGDP, awarded twelve community roads and drainages for construction in November 2011; the contract was given to Seg Mahsen & Co (Nigeria) Ltd, but to our surprise, only three roads were constructed – Sule Lame, Giwa Street and Ogunle. The other roads and canals were done half-way because the contractor was being owed N500 million out of which we learnt, only 25 per cent has been paid.”

    He said the Fadayinmi Obale Road, the only link to Badia, was abandoned. He added that a school project worth N200 million and eight borehole projects, which were also awarded, “were fully constructed.” “We like them, but without the road, the school cannot be reached; the borehole is not working. This is why we are here to plead to the Lagos State Government to come to our rescue,” he said.

    Mrs. Adebisi Bello, Prince Kayode Obadia, and others said some of their houses and shops were demolished, thus opening the area to flooding during the rains.

    Government officials who spoke with them promised to relay their grievances to the governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola.

  • Okada riders protesting in Lagos

    Okada riders protesting in Lagos

  • Oyo residents protest lawmaker’s ‘shirking of responsibility’

    There was a drama at the weekend in Oyo town when residents of Isale –Oyo protested what they alleged as the shirking of responsibility and disregard of a member of the House of Representatives to the Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111.

    They also accused him of conducting himself in a manner likely to breach the peace by inciting the people against the state government and the Alaafin of Oyo.

    The protesters marched from Isale-Oyo to the Alaafin’s palace where they expressed their grievances.

    Their spokesman, Alhaji Jimoh Ikolaba, alleged that since the lawmaker was elected, he had neither rendered his stewardship when called upon to do so nor listed what the constituents had benefited from him.

    He said: “We hear of his colleagues within and outside the state providing social welfare packages for their constituents. Our own lawmaker has done nothing for us in the last six years he has been elected as a lawmaker. He only takes care of a few friends and has never attended any ward or constituency meeting. Even if we go to his house, he will send us away. As a result, we disown and pass a-vote-of-no confidence in him.”

    Pa Ikolaba urged the Oyo-Mesi, led by the Basorun of Oyo, who were also in attendance, to prevail on the Alaafin to endorse his son, Hakeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, as the lawmaker’s successor in the House of Representatives in 2015.

    They described Prince Adeyemi, the Caretaker Chairman of Atiba Local Government, as “kind-hearted, focused, committed to the well-being of the downtrodden, charitable and humble.”

    The Oyo-Mesi prostrated for the Alaafin, appealing to him to accept the people’s choice and allow his son to contest the 2015 National Assembly election.

    Oba Adeyemi said it has never been his character to lord over the people what is against their desire, adding that he has assisted people, who are neither his family nor biological children, and they are making waves in their chosen professions within and outside the country.

    He said: “When my daughter was appointed as a commissioner by Governor Abiola Ajimobi, I opposed it. The reason being that an indigene of my town was removed not long before my daughter was considered competent for the position. I felt bad about it because of the negative impression people created. Consequently, I sent the Oyo-Mesi to the governor demanding an explanation on why the former commissioner was removed and my daughter was appointed. After the explanation and appeal, I reluctantly agreed that my daughter should serve the state.”

    The paramount ruler said his institution is committed to the well-being of the indigenes, adding: “This is why my support and loyalty to the Ajimobi administration is total. He is a man of conscience, who cares for his people’s welfare.”

    He later endorsed the choice of his son as the next candidate for the House of Representatives seat in Oyo Federal Constituency.

  • Protest against tricycle ban

    Some human rights activists yesterday protested against the recent ban on commercial tricycles in some parts of Lagos State. They urged the government to rescind the decision.

    A law passed by the House of Assembly and signed by Governor Babatunde Fashola banned motorcycles and tricycles on some major roads.

    Comrade Declan Ihekaire, National Coordinator, Concerned Human Rights Nigeria, who led the protest, said: “The ban was unnecessary, considering the suffering of millions of Lagos residents, who depended on tricycles for transportation.”

    Ihekaire, who spoke with reporters during the protest debunked government’s claim that tricycles constitute nuisance, are accident-prone and are being used to rob. He said: “Let them give us one single example where tricycles had been used to rob. Lagos State cannot be more of a mega city than India, China and Korea, where tricycle is being used as a means of transportation. Government must always consider the masses in its policies.”

  • Ondo students protest non-payment of bursaries

    Students from the oil producing areas of Ondo State in tertiary institutions yesterday besieged the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) office at Oba-ile in Akure to protest the non-payment of their two years bursary areas.

    They held workers in the commission, including the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mann Alli, hostage for over nine hours.

    The protest, which began at about 8.35am, however, caught the management of the commission unawares as the students stormed the premises, chanting anti- government songs.

    They were led by the National President of the National Association of Ilaje Students (NAIS), Mr. Segun Ekudehinwa and the National President of Ese-Odo Local Government Students Association, Mr. Jide Julius.

    The students locked the commission’s main gate and prevented workers and visitors, including workers of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power that share the same premises with OSOPADEC from moving in and out of their offices.

    The intervention of policemen, led by the Area Commander in Akure, Mr. Edward Ajogun, could not calm the situation as the students remained adamant.

    The students, who came in several buses, demanded the payment of the 2011 and 2012 bursaries.

    Each student, according to NAIS President, Mr. Ekudehinwa, is entitled to N40,000 yearly as statutory benefit from the commission.

    The four tyres of the permanent secretary’s official car were deflated by the students during the protest.

    Commissioner for Environment, Chief Sola Ebiseni, who is from the oil-producing area, was later invited by the management of the commission to pacify the protesters when the situation became tense.

    The commissioner, on his arrival, was subjected to humiliation by the rampaging students, who shut the gate against him.

    They ordered him to present the former chairman of the commission, Mr. Debo Ajimuda, to explain the whereabouts of their money.

    Ekudehinwa later ordered the students to open the gate for the commissioner on the recognition that he was the pioneer president of the association.

    The management of the commission, led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mann Alli and Chief Sola Ebiseni, later held a closed-door meeting with the chapter presidents of the association where they reached an agreement on the payment of the bursaries.

    Ebiseni said the Governor Olusegun Mimiko administration would not handle issues that border on students’ welfare with levity, adding that the government has put in place necessary facilities to enhance the education of the students, particularly those from the oil-producing areas.

  • Students, hoodlums protest in Ibadan

    There was a riot yesterday at Monathan in Ibadan, as students and hoodlums attacked and set ablaze a truck.

    The action followed the serious injuries sustained by a student of Oyeshina High School, Monathan, Ibadan, Oseni Yusuf, after a truck, which was on the fast lane, knocked him down.

    The students, thinking their colleague has died, stormed the scene of the accident and attempted to kill the driver.

    But the driver, whose identity is unknown, was said to have escaped. The students, however, burnt the truck belonging to Seven-up Bottling Company.

    Motorists abandoned their vehicles and fled. There was a confrontation between policemen, students and hoodlums, who capitalised on the confusion to harass people and steal.

    Gunshots and canisters of teargas were fired by the police to scare away the protesters.

    Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) were later drafted to the scene of the riot.

    Many shop owners were forced to shut down and there was a traffic jam on Iwo Road, Monathan.

    Fifteen people were reportedly injured in the fracas.

    Peace was later restored by anti-riot policemen.

    Police spokesperson, Mrs. Olabisi Ilobanafor, described the action of the students as unfortunate.

    She said: “There was an accident involving a Tata truck with registration number EKY 990 XA driven by Adegoroye Kamoru, which hit a student of Oyeshina High School, Monatan, Oseni Yusuf. He was taken to Divine Hospital and is responding to treatment. “Policemen moved to the scene to control the irate students but they went on the rampage, throwing bottles. They set the vehicle ablaze. Patrol teams were mobilised to restore peace. The area is now calm.”

  • Slain traders: Oyo Assembly directs govt to protest to Fed Govt

    Oyo State House of Assembly yesterday urged the state executive to send a protest letter to the Federal Government on last week’s killing of traders from the Bodija market in Ibadan.

    The House also demanded compensation for the bereaved families from the Federal Government.

    The motion was raised under matters of urgent public importance by Mr. Olusegun Olaleye (Ibadan North) and unanimously agreed by the House.

    Contributing, Mr. Ibrahim Bolomope (Egbeda), reminded the Assembly of a similar incident on May 5.

    He added that it was no longer safe for anyone to travel to the North due to insecurity.

    The lawmaker said the Federal Government’s grains reserve at Kolapo Ishola in Ibadan could be made functional and traders could go there and buy grains.

    Other lawmakers, including Yisau Azeez (Oorelope), Adeshina Adeyemo (Ibarapa) and Waliu Adekunle (Atiba) supported the idea. They expressed fears about insecurity.

    Adeyemo said: “The traders should organise themselves and liaise with the commissioner of police to give them escort when travelling. We use this medium to urge Southwest governors to invest in agriculture. Government should mechanise farming.”

    The Speaker, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, who presided over the plenary, called for voice votes. The lawmakers voted in its support.

    The state government was, therefore, directed to write a protest letter to the Federal Government and demand compensation.

    A lawmaker in the House of Representatives representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Abiodun-Dada Awoleye, described the killing of Bodija traders as the effect of bad governance and lack of security.

    He sympathised with the bereaved families and the deceased’s colleagues.

    The legislator decried the killings and urged Nigerians to condemn it.

  • Youths protest neglect by local content board

    Hundreds of angry youths in Bayelsa State yesterday stormed the headquarters of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to protest what they described as “neglect” by the board.

    They said the board neglected them in the implementation of local content.

    It was gathered that the youths, who protested under the aegis of the state chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), stormed the area at about 6am.

    They were said to have barricaded the gate of the building, preventing workers and visitors from entering.

    Their activities reportedly created panic among the workers.

    The Federal Government board occupies a state-owned building, popularly called the Revenue House, on Lambert Eradiri Road in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    The youths, who carried no placards, sang solidarity songs.

    Over 12 police vans were deployed in the area.

    The youths used two plastic tables and four blue plastic chairs to block the entrance to the building.

    Beverages, loaves of bread, many plastic cups and a laptop were placed on the tables. Bags of sachet water were kept under them.

    The leader of the state NYCN, Bright Igrubia, said: “The board is not involving the locals in its projects and activities in the state.

    “We want capacity-building and training. We are worried because the NCDMB is not carrying youths along, particularly in the Southern Swamp Associated Gas Gathering System (SSAGGS) project in Ekeremor Local Government Area contracted by Shell.”

    He said the youths were ready to start a hunger strike, if the board failed to address their plight.

    Officials of the agency said they were not authorised to speak to reporters.

  • Arts & Culture workers protest relocation

    The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union (RATTAWU), Lagos Council, yesterday protested the “hasty relocation” of its members from the premises of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

    The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, recently ordered agencies on the premises of the National Theatre to relocate to allow the concessioning of the premises to private developers.

    Among parastatals affected are the National Gallery of Arts, National Council for Arts and Culture, National Institute for Cultural Orientation and National Troupe of Nigeria.

    RATTAWU said its members were relocated to a dilapidated building with a “rusty and unserviceable elevator”.

    It said the act negates Decree 47 of 1991, which states that the National Theatre “should protect and promote our cultural heritage”.

    In a statement by its Chairman, Comrade Godwin Itotowa, RATTAWU said: “The National Troupe cannot be productive where it was relocated to because there are no theatres and other enabling facilities.

    “The art works of the National Gallery of Arts are in a store under the custody of the National Theatre. The implication is that these art works will rot away. They are meant to be displayed and properly kept, not to be stored. The gallery workers are without their work materials and a gallery.”

    Urging Nigerians to prevent the “killing” of arts and culture, it said: “There are no galleries, libraries, theatres, craft shops and work shops at the new locations.”