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Tag: Protesters

  • Protesters urge Buhari to confirm NDDC’s Brambaifa

    Protesters at the weekend called on President Muhammadu Buhari to make the acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, a substantive boss of the commission. The demonstrators trekked kilometres to the office of the NDDC condemning series of anti-Brambaifa campaigns. They said despite sponsored campaigns against the NDDC management, Brambaifa had remained focused on his mission to actualise the vision of President Buhari in the Niger Delta.

    The leader of the protest and former security adviser in Bayelsa, Chief Perekeme Kpodo told the Coordinator of the NDDC, Francis Kolokolo, that the NDDC over the years failed in its mandate to develop the Niger Delta. He said: “But today we have a son from Bayelsa , who is professor Nelson Brambaifa, four months only, he has change the tide. There are roads everywhere. We have over 100 roads in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states. The fact is that Brambaifa from Bayelsa has come to ensure that these roads are put in good and motorable conditions. There is nobody from anywhere that can stop the planned development.

    “All those gimmicks they are doing outside Bayelsa are for selfish interest not for the interest of Bayelsans or the Niger Delta. So, we say we need Brambaifa to be confirmed and to continue so we can have the dividends of democracy. This is not party issue, we are talking about our development, look at our youths, since NDDC was created there is nothing to show but it is time to take the bull by the horn, let Brambaifa continue to actualise the President Buhari dream for the region”.

    Read Also: Ondo deputy governor denies lobbying for NDDC’s MD job

    In his remarks, the President Attisa Youth Council, Richard Giani, appealed to Buhari to confirm Brambaifa following his performance in office. “My point here is very simple, for four months now that Brambaifa has been the acting MD of NDDC, we can see the giant’s strides; roads are everywhere, even the waterways are calm, he is tackling security issues. What his predecessors couldn’t do, he did it. So, we are calling on President Buhari to use his good office to make Nelson Brambaifa the substantive NDDC MD”, he said.

    On his part, a one-time Chairman of the Central Zone of the Ijaw Youths Council, Jonathan Lokpobiri, said for the interest of the peace in the region, the Ijaw should rise and support Branbaifa. He said: “We are now using this platform to send a message through the coordinator of the NDDC to the federal government that the confirmation of professor Brambaifa is in the right direction and in the best interest of our region. There is no politics in this. We do believe that Brambaifa can work with almost everybody in the Niger Delta region. So, I believe that given the opportunity for him to be confirmed as the MD of NDDC, can only improve the well-being and the life styles of the Niger Delta people and I can assure you that peace will improve”.

  • Protesters block roads over fuel price hike in Zimbabwe

    Protesters in Zimbabwe on Monday barricaded the main roads into major cities to protest a fuel price hike announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

    According to video footage from the Centre for Innovation & Technology, police fired teargas to disperse youths protesting outside the high court in Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo.

    In the southern city of Bulawayo, commuter bus drivers and touts blocked thoroughfares with burning tyres, tree branches, and blocks of stone.

    Riot police tried to quell demonstrations in the western suburbs of Emakhandeni and Luveve, firing warning shots and tear gas but the protesters remained defiant.

    Demonstrator Glen Ncube, 25, expressed anger at the president’s announcement on Saturday of a 150 per cent fuel price increase and the police actions.

    “What kind of a man does this? Can Mnangagwa even be called a president? He’s making life hard for us and these police are trying to stop us as if they don’t know our pain,’’ Ncube said.

    The government has vowed it “will not hesitate to take action” against protesters who threaten to destabilise the country and the military was deployed to assist police.

    Report says Zimbabwe is going through its worst economic crisis in a decade.

    The government announced an increase from 1.34 dollars for a litre of petrol to 3.31 dollars with diesel surging to 3.11 dollars per litre, igniting widespread discontent.

    A three-day nationwide shutdown was called by workers’ trade unions in protest.

    The action came shortly after junior doctors ended a 40-day strike demanding salaries in US dollars and better working conditions.

  • Police, youths clash: Catholic bishop flays assault on journalists

    The Catholic bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, on Friday, condemned the alleged attack on journalists by protesters during the recent clash between the police and youths in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    The news crew of the Anambra Broadcasting Service was reportedly lynched and the station’s official bus vandalized during the protest.

    Read Also:Driver gets one-month jail for stealing policeman’s wallet

    According to reports, the cameraman, Nicolas Johnson, was physically assaulted and the sums of N8, 000 stolen from him, while the reporter, Chibuzo Okoye and driver, Jossy Ugochukwu, sustained injuries in the mob attack.

    Reacting to the development, Ezeokafor described the incident as absurd, wondering what could warrant such actions on persons carrying out their lawful duties.
    “Why attack these harmless and hapless individuals? These people are out there hunting for news. Why lynch them? Why go after their station’s official vehicle even to the point of vandalizing it?” he queried.

    The cleric explained that media practitioners in the state and Nigeria in general deserved to be encouraged, protected and cared for by all, stressing that “without the media, the world would had been in darkness.”

    He enjoined the community leaders to call their youths to order to forestall future recurrence.

  • Senator Adeola disowns protesters at Tinubu’s residence

    Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West) has disowned protesters  at the Lagos residence of All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    The protesters, who also took their case to the residence of a former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, demanded that the two party leaders should “release”  Senator Adeola (aka Yayi), to contest the 2019 Ogun State APC governorship ticket.

    But, Adeola said yesterday in a statement by his media adviser Kayode Odunaro, that he never authorised nor was consulted by the protesters.

    He said: “I concluded my consultations in Ogun State over a month ago with a commitment to continue to serve my constituents and the political party in Lagos West.

    “The protest to the residence of our National Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, is embarrassing and presumptuous. It was organised in bad faith. I was not consulted before the protest as the protesters stated themselves.

    “It was not with my support or endorsement. And as the late MKO Abiola stated in such a situation, you cannot “shave someone’s head in his absence.”

    Senator Adeola said his effort for re-election as senator representing Lagos West has received wide acceptance by leaders and supporters of the APC at various levels, adding that more than ever before, his commitment to continue to serve the good people of Lagos West without any distraction has been rekindled.

    The Senator appealed to all his admirers to respect his wish to continue to serve the good people of Lagos West Senatorial District.”

  • Protesters march on EKEDC

    The Association of Shop Owners at the Sura Shopping Complex, Lagos Island yesterday  led a peaceful protest to the Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc (EKEDC) on the Marina, to demand freedom to patronise alternative power supply firms.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that protesters, who came out in black attire, carried placards with various inscriptions, chanting songs to register their grievances.

    They rejected appeals for a closed door meeting between their representatives and the EKEDC management.

    EKEDC Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Adeoye Fadeyibi, later came out to address the protesters.

    Chairman of the association, Mrs Bunmi Ajayi, said that they had perfected plans to purchase electricity from a private firm and wanted EKEDC to give the shop owners the approval for them to patronise an Independent Power Producer (IPP).

    “Why we are here is that we are not getting any reasonable service from the EKEDC and we have, therefore, resolved away from you.

    “We are here to give you a letter. It is not about disconnection, but we wrote this letter to say that we want to upgrade our panels and that you should disconnect us.

    “Please do not go ahead to say they should reconnect us because we are working on our panels. We all have new panels now.

    “We have this letter for you because we are not happy with your services and we should be free to choose any power distribution company of our choice.

    “We are dissatisfied with your services and we don’t want your services anymore,’’ she said.

    Responding, Fadeyibi said he appreciated the association’s position but noted that there was need to follow the right approach to having an IPP.

    He said EKEDC was regulated and guided by law and was trying as much as possible to solve the problems of power generation and distribution.

    “There is no intent to cause you any undue stress. Do not let anybody tell you that you cannot work within the regulator. We all work within the rules and regulations of the regulator, if there is no regulated environment, there will be chaos.

    “There is a deemed network that has been assigned, within that network, we have investments made,’’ he said.

    Fadeyibi explained that the power from the national grid operated within a system that required synergy to work effectively.

    He appealed to the association to seek information so as to make the right choices.

    The EKEDC chief promised to study their letter and revert to them as soon as possible.

  • Protesters at National Assembly kick against cut of budget

    •Senators dismiss them as ‘hired guns’ •Group slams them

    A group of Nigerians yesterday staged a protest in front of the the National Asembly complex in Abuja over the cuts in the 2018 budget by the federal lawmakers.

    The protesters under the aegis of National Convener of Citizens’ Action to take back Nigeria (CATBAN) called for the resigmation of Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara

    They stormed the National Assembly Complex in various vehicles and displayed banners, calling for scrapping of constituency projects.

    Some of the placards have inscriptions like: “Nigerians are not represented in the sharing of loots via constituency projects”, “Dear legislators, to make laws is not to execute projects, legislators are not executives.”

    National Convener of the group Comrade Garba Wala told repprters that lawmakers were using constituency projects to siphon funds meant for Nigerians.

    Wala said the concerns raised by President Muhammadu Buhari while signing the 2018 Budget, showed that the National Assembly was “stealing the common patrimony of the people through constituency projects.”

    According to him, the concerns are indications that Saraki and Dogara lacked credibility and moral capacity, as such should resign.

    “The President told Nigerians that our Federal legislators connived among themselves and removed priority developmental projects carefully prepared by the Federal Government to impact on the lives of the citizenry.

    “The National Assembly made cut of N347 billion in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6, 403 private projects of their own amounting to N578 billion.

    “ As a Civil Society Organisation, we feel pained that this year’s budget followed the regular path of stealing in the guise of bogus constituency projects.

    “In spite of the wishy-washy response of the National Assembly justifying its distortion of the 2018 Budget, there is ample evidence to show that they shortchanged their constituents who elected them to make laws for the good governance of the country,” he said.

    He expressed concern that, “with an additional sum of N170 billion for Constituency Projects, together with the sum of N100 billion already provided for in the Budget,  the National Assembly still went ahead to cut allocations to important national projects.

    “The cut was aimed at distorting the budget in order to further increase their allocation for constituency projects.

    “This to us is a grave offence against the sensibilities of Nigerians.”

    The convener said, “this is one big scandal that brings to light how the nation’s annual budgets have been padded over the years to the disadvantage of 180 million Nigerians.”

    EFCC, ICPC should probe

    He called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter.

    He stressed that it was necessary for such action to be taken to save the National Assembly from public ridicule.

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the protest turned rowdy when protesters became impatient following concerns that the leadership of the National Assembly did not deem it fit to address them.

    Some of the protesters were seen trying to climb the main gate, while others were seen shaking the gate vigorously to force their way into the premises.

    They were however stopped when Police officers manning the gate, released teargas into the air.

    While signing the 2018 Budget, the President said: “the logic behind the Constitutional directive that budgets should be proposed by the Executive is that it is the Executive that knows and defines its policies and projects.

    “Unfortunately, that has not been given much regard in what has been sent to me.

    “The National Assembly made cuts amounting to N347 billion in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting to N578 billion.

    ‘Hired guns’

    Senators dismissed the protest during plenary, describing the protesters as “hired guns, lacking the knowledge of the workings of the National Assembly.”

    Senator Barnabas Gemade drew the attention of his colleagues to the constituency project protest through a point of order.

    The Benue North East senator described the protesters as ignorant of how the parliament operates.

    Genade insisted that no amount of blackmail or intimidation would stop the National Assembly from allocating funds for constituency projects.

    He lamented that unlike heads of ministries, departments and agencies, senators “go cap in hand to beg ministers to fund their constituency projects.”

    Gemade described those behind the protest as “ill-informed” who should be told that constituency project is the only means to ensure the spread of projects in the country.

    He noted that senators do not even know the contractors who execute constituency projects.

    The Executive, he said should be told that constituency projects should not be discontinued.

    They are sponsored

    Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremandu blamed the protest on unemployment and poverty.

    Ekweremadu said that it is obvious that government officials are behind the protests.

    He “There is unemployment in Nigeria. This has given people the opportunity to create jobs. That is why we now have professional beggars. What they do is to approach a government official who doesn’t like the Senate. He will ask for funding and they will collect N1,500 for each protester.

    “In the end, they give only N500 to each protester. I feel sad when I see these people at the gate protesting. They protest what they don’t believe in.

    “It was the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who then as president, insisted that lawmakers must be part of the process of budgeting.

    “He said about N100 billion should be set aside every year to cater for that need. He recognised the importance of lawmakers and how close they are to the people.

    “Anybody who is against constituency projects should be seen as an enemy of the country.

    “No amount of blackmail should stop us from continuing with this constituency projects which is helping our people. Constituency project is working in Enugu West and I believe it is working in other constituencies.”

    Saraki noted that the National Assembly would continue to educate the public on the importance of constituency projects.

    He said, “Nigerians should be made to appreciate that constituency projects is the only way to spread projects to every nook and cranny of this country.

    “The President should investigate those behind the protests. The protesters will tell you the minister and governor giving them money to protest. The irresponsibility of some people in government should not be allowed.

    “If protests should be allowed, it should be against release funds and award the contract. Those behind the protest should desist from such because they are known.”

    Group slams protesters

    A pro-democracy group, Center for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness said yesterday that the sponsors of a protest” do not mean well for Nigeria and are determined to plunge Nigeria into a state of fascism or totalitarianism.”

    In a statement, Chairman of the group, Dr Gabriel Nwanbu, said: “our attention has been drawn to the activities of some miscreants parading themselves as members of a civil society organization demonstrating in front of the National Assembly purportedly asking for the immediate resignation and/or impeachment of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, and linking him with the robbery at Offa, Kwara state.

    “It is most unfortunate that a group of hoodlums seen fightimg over a stipend of N2,000 distributed by their sponsors who obviously do not mean well for Nigeria and Nigerians by trying to mutilate the high integrity of the National Assembly which is practically the only Arm of Government that is still vibrant, defending Nigerians, asking pertinent questions on the checks and balances of Government as provided by the doctrine of checks and balances in any democratic state.

    “Killers went on rampage in Plateau State for as much as 7 hours without response from any security agency. You are alive today, but you are not sure of being alive the next minute not due to nature or act of God but because of the menace of herdsmen who are continuously on a killing spree,” the group said.

    It also asked “Perhaps, we need to ask; what is the value of a Nigerian life?”

  • Protesters want Ambode to probe Ilaje killings

    Hundreds of residents of Ilaje community in Makoko, Lagos on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest to the state House of Assembly over recent killings in the area.

    The protesters urged Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and Lagos Assembly to probe the alleged killing of four persons in the community on May 10 by men of Lagos State Task Force.

    Addressing the leadership of the House, Mr Alex Omotehinse, spokesman for the protesters, said that the alleged murder of innocent persons by the police required government’s investigation to prevent break down of law and order.

    “Our protest is all about unlawful invasion, killing and maiming of our people by the policemen under the leadership of Jide Bakare, the Chairman, Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbing.

    “We are not fighting on our land, Bakare led a team of policemen to Ori Oke and Ilaje Community, and invaded the communities, killing four people, while several others were injured.

    “The injured are in the hospitals with gun injuries. The Commissioner of Police said he was not aware of the operation, describing it as illegal.

    “The Lagos Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohinmi, had said that the command set up a committee and that the people involved had been arrested.

    “But surprisingly, those involved are still moving around freely and nothing has been done to them.

    “That’s why we call on the governor and the House of Assembly to set up an independent panel of enquiry so that those who are culpable would be brought to book.

    “As a matter of urgency, this matter must be addressed, we want the police to parade the culprits and stop aiding and abetting them,” he said.

    According to him, if the government failed to act, the Ilaje nation will rise to defend themselves, saying that they were peace-loving people.

    Omotehinse, General Secretary, Ilaje National Alliance Movement, said that the people wanted the arrest and prosecution of those who carried out the attack on the community.

    Omotehinshe, who said that the people had lost confidence in the police to carry out impartial investigation into the case, alleged that the police command was shielding the culprits.

    Also speaking, Mr Adeola Ilori, a human rights lawyer, said that he was pained that the state government had not paid a visit to the family of the victims.

    Ilori said that such attacks on defenceless citizens was not only a threat to the people, but also their future.

    Addressing the protesters, the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who commended the protesters for peaceful conduct, said that the House would look into the matter.

    Obasa, who was represented by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, said: “I want to assure you that this case will be presented to the Speaker.

    “All the issues you have raised are issues of importance and we will look into the matter. All I am telling you is that justice will be done on this matter.”

     

    NAN

  • Protesters shutdown Amnesty International’s office in Abuja over plot to destabilize Nigeria

     

    Activities at the Abuja office of Amnesty International was temporarily brought to a halt as over 1000 protesters on Wednesday stormed the office to protest what they described as ‘plot to destabilise Nigeria.’

    The angry protesters claimed that the international had concluded plans to release a report, which would attempt accuse the government troops and civilian JTF currently fighting the Boko Haram terrorists in the north east, of routinely detaining, raping, starving and kill women as well as minors.

    This development came barely one week after the Nigerian Army panel of inquiry exonerated the military of colliding with terrorists in the country.

    Addressing the protest, Comrade Danesi Momoh, the National Convener of the Civil Rights Groups, organiser of the protest, described the yet-to-be-released report as not only false but maliciously targeted at creating tension and unsettling the nation.

    He said Wednesday’s protest march was merely a rehearsal, insisting that the International agency must quit Nigeria if it fails to stop such false information.

    The full text below.

    “Upon the expiration of today, at precisely midnight, Amnesty International is releasing a report, with which it plans to totally destabilize Nigeria.

    “The false report will among other things claim that government troops and Civilian JTF routinely detain, rape, starve and kill women as well as minors. It claims that “Instead of receiving protection from the authorities, women and girls have been forced to succumb to rape in order to avoid starvation or hunger.”

    “Several patriotic groups had only recently raised alarm that UNICEF is coordinating other international NGOs for evidence shopping as part of a major shift to start accusing the Federal Government and the military of sexual violence. This plot was being executed by UNICEF staff in conjunction with others under a purpose vehicle, Protection From Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Nigeria, with the mandate to tarnish authorities with alleged sexual crimes. Amnesty International has simply resumed the assignment it earlier handed over to PSEA and is now calling these agents of instability from PSEA its researchers.

    “We are aware that staff of Amnesty International, UNICEF and the other member-organizations of PSEA were given quotas on the number of alleged sexual abuse/sexual exploitation cases to file towards the realization of these lies packaged as a report.

    “ The decision of Amnesty International to only base its so-called report on 2015-2018 is suspect and confirms that whoever is financing its PSYOP in Nigeria is angry that the tide was turned against their Boko Haram agents since the current political and military leadership took over the helms of affairs in 2015. It is sickening that Amnesty International can now be using its report to praise the dark era when cities as far south as Kogi state were under siege from Boko Haram terrorists.

    “In its long-established tradition of compulsive lying, all its interviewees are unanimous. What is playing out here is another Nayira Testimony of Amnesty International’s Nayirah al-Ṣabaḥ legacy. It should have by now learnt that there are discerning people that see through these lies even before they are told. We are aware that Amnesty International has learnt since the Nayira saga to obscure the identity of its so call witnesses so that it becomes impossible to verify its claims, which would invariably be found to be lies since that is what its agenda thrives on.

    “We like to put our military, intelligence and security agencies on notice that this is a pattern we have become all too familiar with. Whenever Amnesty International issues this kind of report it means it has just concluded paying mobilization to its Boko Haram fighters, recruited new suicide bombers and provided psychotropic drugs and explosives – all geared towards helping the terrorists regroup.

    “It will not be surprising if there is a sudden spike in attempted Boko Haram attacks and lot diversionary incidents involving Amnesty International-backed separatist, extremist and militant groups operating in Nigeria. This has been the pattern over the years and we see same repeating in the coming days now that the criminal NGO is releasing its report.

    “We therefore warn authorities to be vigilant for this spike in attacks.

    “They must also begin to build confidence of the population because the war on terrorism has now spread to become the battle for perception as Amnesty International is intensifying efforts at maligning the country’s security architecture so that people will perceive the military in bad light and stop volunteering information that have been crucial to degrading Boko Haram.

    “The Federal Government is hereby reminded that the demand made last year for it to kick Amnesty International out of the country has not been withdrawn. Amnesty International, its staffers and so-called researchers are persona non grata and Nigerians shall not be liable for whatever befalls them as a consequence of trying to emasculate the military as part of larger plot to collapse Nigeria.

    “Nigerians are not going to sheepishly step on the conveyor belt of Amnesty International’s destabilization agenda to be like Iraq, Yemen, Libya and other countries where Amnesty International has successfully executed its contract of incapacitating the military through webs of lies spun in the name of upholding human rights.

    “The protest march of today is merely a rehearsal. It is the beginning of the occupation of Amnesty International until it gets out of our country. With the tenacity the NGO has shown in its bid to destroy Nigeria, we will not pull back like we did the last time its lies made us to occupy its premises. We have had enough of its destabilizing lies and we say Amnesty International must leave Now!”

  • Protesters shun deputy governor’s addreess

    The Christian protesters in Akure the Ondo State capital, yesterday refused to allow Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi to adreess them although the protest was peaceful.

    They carried placards with different inscriptions and chanted anti-government songs when they got to the Government House.

    The protesters halted vehiclular movement across the major roads.

    They insisted on Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu addressing them, saying: “It is the governor or nobody. We voted for him and we expect him to take our issues serious. The deputy governor should go back, we don’t want him,”

    CAN Chairman Revd John Oladapo said the protest across the country became necessary following tincessant killings.

    He said: “We sent our letter to the governor of our coming today and the letter was duly received by the office of the governor and since his inception he has been repeatedly ignoring us as a Christan Association.

    “The reason given to us by the deputy governor is that the governor was bereaved and in Ibadan,Oyo State. This is not acceptable.”

    Presiding Bishop, Agape Christian Ministry, Bishop Felix Adejumo, decried the killings in the country.

    He said there is evidence that those masterminding the killings were on a mission to silence churches.

    “We have evidence that they want to silence the Church but we will not allow them. These killings are worrisome. Enough is enough.

    The Anglican Bishop of Akure Diocese, Revd. Simeon Borokini said Christians would not allow cattle rearing in the state.

  • Protesters: recall Omo-Agege from suspension

    Protesters, said to be constituents of suspended Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, stormed the National Assembly yesterday to ask for his reinstatement.

    The protesters decried the continued suspension of the Delta Central senator.

    The Senate suspended Omo-Agege on April 12 for 90 legislative days for his remarks against sequence of elections.

    The embattled senator forced himself into the Senate chamber on April 18 at a time thugs invaded and stole the mace.

    The protester, under the aegis of “Delta Central Collective,” demanded the reinstatement of Omo-Agege. They threatened that Omo-Agege’s continued suspension was an invitation to anarchy.

    A speech signed by its Chairman, Clever Akpovona Egbeji, described Omo-Agege’s suspension as illegal.

    The letter said: “Based on previous rulings of the courts, neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives has the right or power to suspend any of its members.

    “The Senate has no constitutional powers to suspend any of its members as established by judgments to that effect in the case of Senator Ali Ndume vs the Senate in 2017; Bauchi State House of Assembly vs Danna; and House of Representatives vs (now Senator) Dino Melaye, and others in 2009/2010.”

    They vowed to continue the protest “as long as the Senate refuses to rescind its illegal suspension slammed on Omo-Agege”.