The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Protesters

  • Protesters seek probe of judge

    Aggrieved protesters yesterday stormed the premises of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to protest the judgment ordering release of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Malami Zeenat, within 45 days.

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole ordered the release of the Shi’ite leader while delivering judgment on a fundamental rights enforcement suit El-Zakzaky filed against the government.

    The court held that El-Zakzaky’s continued detention without trial amounted to a gross violation of his rights.

    Justice Kolawole awarded N50 million damages against the Federal Government and ordered that a house be built for El-Zakzaky’s family in any part of Kaduna State or the northern region.

    But the protesters, which laid siege to the court entrance, called for an end to judicial terrorism, insisting that Justice Kolawole must leave and be probed by the government.

    National President, Coalition on Good Governance and Change Initiative (CGGCI) and other Civil Society, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, who led the protesters, said the judiciary had dealt a fresh blow to the future of Nigeria by legalising terrorism while leaving the rest of Nigerians at risk.

    According to him, Justice Kolawole’s judgment was delivered without considering the dangerous precedence on law enforcement, security, anti-terror fight, terrorism, extremism and secessionist movements.

    He described the judgment as ridiculous, wondering how the judge could order release of someone, who posed grave security risk to the society, through his extreme brand of foreign- backed radicalisation in the name of religion.

    Ogenyi said: “In the space of one week, the judiciary has ordered dangerous fanatics and demagogues returned to the streets to resume brainwashing, radicalising and militarising vulnerable youths.

    “This could have only been in keeping with fulfilling obligations entered into for less than honourable considerations, even as we cannot rule out a judiciary that is taking its pound of flesh from an executive arm that has exposed the sleaze on its soiled bench.”

    Ogenyi was, however, told to write to the chief registrar of the court and submit through its lawyers.

  • Protesters demand release of seven detained APC members in Ekiti

    Protesters demand release of seven detained APC members in Ekiti

    SUPPORTERSof the seven members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State accused of complicity in the murder of former state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Omolafe Aderiye took to the streets on Friday to protest against their continued incarceration. The APC members standing trial at Ekiti State High Court are the state leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Adeniyi Adedipe and two former chairmen of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Adebayo Aderiye and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu; Oso Farotimi, Ajayi Kayode, Sola Durodola and Sola Adenijo.

    The placard-carrying protesters avered that the state has failed to prove the case of murder against the suspects and accused the Governor Ayodele Fayose administration of resorting to delay tactics to permanently keep them behind bars.. They accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in the state of using what they called “frivolous applications” at the Court of Appeal, Ado Ekiti Division, to stall the hearing of their case at High Court 6 presided over by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye.

    The protesters marched from Ijigbo area of Ado Ekiti and terminated their protest at the state secretariat of the APC located at Ajilosun where they chanted solidarity songs and called for the unconditional release of the seven. Some of their placards read: “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”, “Release the G-7 Immediately and Unconditionally”, “Apase Adedipe Has No Hand in Omolafe’s Murder,” “Buhari, Tinubu, Fayemi, Ojudu, Save Your Party Members Dying in Prison Custody”, “NJC, Investigate Ado Ekiti Appeal Court on G-7 case,” among others.

    Hearing of the case on Monday could not go on at the High Court as Justice Ogunmoye adjourned hearing to December 19 awaiting the outcome of the application filed by the state at the Appeal Court. Addressing reporters after the protest, RTEAN National Auditor, Sesan Ogunlade, called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Court of Appeal headquarters in Abuja to investigate why applications filed by the state government against the accused persons has not been heard. He said: “They are being punished because of their link with the APC.

    The state has failed to establish the case of murder against them because Aderiye’s personal assistant had testified in court that they knew nothing about the murder.” Adedipe’s personal assistant, Kamaru Lateef, expressed regrets that the murder case has become political. He called on the Federal Government and APC national leaders to intervene and save the accused from dying in prison custody.

    Lateef said the families of the detainees were suffering while their businesses had collapsed after their houses and other property were set ablaze. He said: “We are calling APC leaders at the national level to save these political prisoners. Their families are bearing the brunt of their incarceration as the state has failed to prove its case against them. They should be released now.”

    An NURTW official, Tunde Timilehin, called on the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of NJC, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to look into the case of the detainees as he expressed dismay that Ado Ekiti Appeal Court has failed to set a date for the hearing of interlocutory appeal for about six months. Timilehin said: “The application filed by the state at the Appeal Court has stalled hearing at the High Court and these individuals have been in prison custody for 26 months now. “We don’t know why the state government is delaying the matte. It is the accused persons that should be delaying the matter since it is a murder case but we know the government is doing this because they have discovered that they have no case against them.”

  • Protesters in Lagos back NJC

    Hundreds of protesters in Lagos yesterday accused the Presidency of not following due process in the arrest of some judicial officers by the Department of State Services (DSS).

    They described the DSS’ actions as “gestapo-like” and a siege on the judiciary that could intimidate judges into doing the Executive’s bidding so as “to escape being subjected to similar experience”.

    The protest, which took place at the Testing Ground, Alausa, was organised by a coalition of over 10 civil society organisations under the auspices of Coalition of Civil Societies for Rule of Law. It featured mostly youths and non-lawyers.

    The coalition comprised Vote for Service Initiative, Activists for Good Governance, Women Progressive in Action, Human Rights Defenders Group, Concerned Forum and others

    The protesters had placards and flyers with messages such as “FG follow due process” , “Yes to anti-corruption, no to lack of rule of law” and “You can’t fight corruption with corrupt tactics”.

    Mr. Adeola Samuel-Ilori and Comrade Declan Ihekaire, who convened the protest, spoke on behalf of the group.

    Samuel-Ilori said: “While we in this coalition of civil societies are fully in support of every effort by the government in tackling corruption, including in the judiciary, we nonetheless firmly believe that this has to be carried out with due process and under strict adherence to the rule of law.”

  • Protesters fault Presidency’s claim on arrested judges

    Protesters fault Presidency’s claim on arrested judges

    • Action as attempt to subjugate judiciary’   • NHRC to probe invasion 

    Hundreds of protesters in Abuja yesterday accused the Presidency of subjugating the judiciary with the arrest of some judges by the Department of State Services (DSS).

    They also decried the alleged refusal by some Federal Government agencies to obey court orders in releasing some detained citizens.

    The protest organised by two groups, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy (LDD) and Citizens for Governance (CG), involved mostly youths.

    The protesters had placards and flyers with different messages.

    Some of the messages read: “No to call for judges to step down”, “Attack on judges, who granted bail on bailable offences against government’s wish is an attempt to silence the judiciary” and “Nobody is above the law, rule of law must be respected,”

    Others read: “Our Stand: “No to the plot to intimidate the judiciary”, “No to the plot to intimidate judges to step aside”, “No to the flagrant disrespect of court orders” and “We reject the plot to overthrow the rule of law”.

    The procession took off from Unity Fountain area on Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama about 10 am.

    The protesters went to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Federal High Court headquarters, Supreme Court and National Assembly (within the Three Arms Zone).

    They were prevented from entering Aso Rock Villa by security operatives stationed close to the area.

    Earlier, the group’s spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said they passed a vote-of-confidence in the National Judicial Council (NJC) for defending the independence of the judiciary and sanctity of democracy by insisting on the rule of law and not yielding to the call to suspend the affected judges.

    He faulted the Nigeria Bar Association’s call for the suspension of affected judges pending proof of their innocence.

    “There should have been no need for the deliberate misinformation to the public that the invasion of the judges’ homes was due to the uncooperative stance of the NJC.

    “Make no mistake about it, the attack on Justices Dimgba, Ademola, Inyang Okoro, Liman, Nigerians may wish to ask certain questions now.

    “Is Justice Ngwuta’s sin not his lead judgment in the Ekiti governorship election, which the ruling party wanted at all cost? Is Justice Adeniyi Ademola’s sin not his stand on events that happened between him and the attorney-general when he was a judge in the Kano Division of the Federal High Court, or his orders in the cases of Sambo Dasuki, Nnamdi Kanu, President Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate saga and the orders he made on the attack against DSS awarding N30 million as human rights violation compensation to two complainants?

    “Is Justice Dimgba’s sin not his order that he will not hear any applications by the DSS till they obey all his earlier orders and his order declaring the detention of Umar Mohammed as unlawful and ordering his release despite that the order has not been obeyed months after it was made and the political detainee being in detention now for 140 days.

    “The case of Umar Mohammed is shocking. Here is a man that has been granted four bails, fulfilled them and is still in detention and instead of freeing Umar, the courageous Justice Dimgba, who granted him bail was attacked,” Ugochinyere said.

    Condemning the alleged failure of some Federal Government agencies to obey court orders directing them to release suspects in their custody, Ugochinyere said the operations of the DSS were targeted at the judges, who were bold to give orders against government.

    The protesters demanded, among others, that the DSS and other agencies of the Federal Government should release from their custody all suspects who had met their bail conditions in compliance with relevant judgments and orders.

    “We call on the NJC and the chief justice to direct all judges  not to hear any applications from the DSS and other agencies, except bail applications until there is obedience to all pending orders against them. Of what use are the courts, if their orders cannot be enforced and obeyed by the state,” he queried.

     

  • NECA denies using thugs to disperse protesters

    NECA denies using thugs to disperse protesters

    The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has denied hiring thugs to dislodge protesters led by the Joe Ajaero-led faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress  (NLC) to picket its premises, last Friday.

    The NLC faction had accused NECA of using thugs to dislodge the protesters, resulting in a free-for – all in which scores were injured. Guests, who came for NECA’s 59th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and protesters, scampered for safety.

    The faction picketed NECA’s headquarters in Ikeja because the group supported banks that sacked workers.

    The entrance to NECA’s premises was barricaded during the action.

    In a statement, NECA Director- General Mr Olusegun Oshinowo described the group as “a law abiding organisation that will not resort to lawlessness to dislodge lawlessness.

    “This, actually, informed our decision to invite the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to protect us and our premises when we got wind of the Joe Ajaero faction’s plan to picket us.

    “Our own investigation on the identities of those that came to dislodge Ajaero and his cohorts has revealed three possibilities as follows:

    • In-fighting   among   hoodlums and thugs over distribution of money paid them to carry out the picketing
    • A counter-action by the legal and recognised NLC to  stop  Ajaero from further acting in the name of NLC and parading himself as its president.”

    Oshinowo said NECA would welcome an investigation into the mayhem, which, according to him, would not have occurred if Ajaero had respected industrial relations laws.

    He said the law enforcement agencies in NECA acted decisively by dispersing the picketers, who he claimed paralysed vehicular and human movement in Ikeja.

    “We again affirm that trade unionism and union immunity are not a licence for anyone to brazenly trample on the rights of other economic actors and breach public order,” he said.

  • Protesters demand removal of Delta traditional ruler

    Economic activities were yesterday paralysed in Ekpan community, Uvwie council area of Delta State, as thousands of indigenes and residents of the community trooped to the streets to protest the protracted communal crisis, which they claimed had stunted the growth of the community for years.

    The protesters, who took over one of the lanes of the dual carriage Ekpan/Jakpa road, on their way to the palace of the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, called for the removal of the head of the community, Chief Newton Agbofodoh, the Unuevworo.

    It will be recalled that Ekpan community has for years been embroiled in crisis, while the residents have consistently accused Chief Agbofodoh of being behind the crisis.

    Agbofodoh has been in prisons custody since he was arrested by a combined team of security officials on June 18. He was reportedly arrested for charges ranging from murder to armed robbery and brigandage.

    Organizers of the protest, the Ekpan Integrity Group (EIG), led by Innocent Akpototedja-Adjenughure and Urumedji Kingsley, President and Secretary respectively, alleged that Chief Agbofodoh had been the cause of all the crises in the community.

    They called on the monarch to withdraw the chieftaincy title given to Chief Agbofodoh.

    According to the group, “Agbofodoh also amended the Ekpan Development Committee constitution without following the procedure as stated in the constitution and unilaterally amended the constitution. He handpicked the present committee, stating that ‘I am the Unuevworo and if anyone is not satisfied with my action, you should wait until you are enthroned as Unuevworo’.

    “We are therefore demanding the removal of Chief Newton Agbofodoh as the Unuevworo of Ekpan,” the group demanded.

    The monarch of Uvwie kingdom, Ovie Sideso, who received the protesters in his palace, listened to the complaints of all the people from the nine quarters of the community, allowing each quarter’s representative to speak one after the other.

    Responding to the complaints, Ovie Sideso thanked the people for their peaceful disposition during the protest and appealed for calm and understanding, saying that he would respond to their demands at the appropriate time.

    The monarch assured the people that he would do everything necessary to ensure that peace returns to the community.

  • Anambra PDP protesters demand certificates from INEC

    Anambra PDP protesters demand certificates from INEC

    Some Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders  have vowed to exploit every legal means available to ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issues them certificates of returns.

    The aggrieved protesters were candidates of the party removed by the commission prior to the general elections last year on the account of the Appeal Court judgment which has since been set aside by the Supreme Court ruling.

    The politicians who beleong to Ejike Oguebego- led PDP faction, claimed that since they were the candidates of the authentic PDP in the state whose primaries were also supervised by the commission, they should be issued the certificates of return.

    However, waiting for 106 days after the Supreme Court order, the candidates stormed INEC Headquarters in Abuja yesterday for the second time in two months to demand their “certificate of return”

    The politicians who came under the umbrella body of Committee of Anambra state PDP House of Representatives members-elect, arrived at the Commission’s Abuja headquarters as early as 8.30 am, with their supporters who stormed the venue in four buses.

    Activities at the commission were temporary disrupted by the who carried placards with inscriptions like “INEC obey Federal High Court and Supreme court ruling”; “INEC do the right thing, give us certificates of return”; “INEC silence for 106 days is injustice.”

    Leader of the group, Mr. Anthony Offiah, expressed regret that four months after the Supreme Court judgment, INEC had not restored their right.

    The peaceful protest, he said, was the second in the last two months, to press home their request which he said was simple which is:  ”issue us our certificates of return.”

    Offiah noted that their demand was legal and a fruit of their victory.

    He said:”We protested here on March 30, INEC spoke to us through the Director of Security promising to table our grievances to the Chairman and his national commissioners and that we will hear from them within  one week. Till date, no reply has been received from INEC leadership, hence this protest which is our legitimate democratic right to assert.”.

    He added: “We can’t give up on this; we have to respect the judicial institutions in this country. If it was the other side that got this judgment, it would have been implemented. We need to emphasise that Nigeria belongs to all of us, court is the last hope of the common man, would it have been better for us to resort to anarchy? no we will not do that. We have to use the legal system, the court to enforce this, and INEC and Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu has no other recourse than to obey.”

    Anything that is within the armbit of the law is what we are going to follow to. We can’t go outside the law.”

  • Protesters battle police, workers

    Protesters battle police, workers

    Protesters and policemen yesterday clashed in Ebonyi State.

    The clash occurred near Pastoral Centre along the Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway

    The local Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor, and about 15 others were taken in a white police Hillux van by four policemen to the Police Headquarters in Abakaliki.

    The police reportedly claimed that the workers did not obtain clearance before starting the protest march.

    But Comrade Nwafor denied the claim, saying: “We were on a peaceful demonstration against the increase in fuel pump price and electricity tariff when the police attacked us. We gave them a letter, I was calling the Commissioner and she didn’t pick my calls and we have evidence to that”

    In Lagos: The protesters failed to carry out its plan of grounding flight operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA),

    Vice-President of NLC Adelegan Samuel  had on Wednesday vowed that no flight would land or take off from the airport if the Federal Government refused to revert the pump price of petrol to N87 per litre.

    However, a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who monitored the situation reports that flight operations went on smoothly at both the international and domestic wings of the airport

    Workers of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), were at their respective offices and duty posts, working.

    However, security was tight within the airport environment as police officers were deployed around strategic locations by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos Airport Command, Mrs Victory Menta.

    Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), told NAN that the union had not suspended the strike but decided not to disrupt flight operations at the airport.

    Abioye said: “We have created a window of opportunity for our entrepreneurs to also enjoy the benefit of our presence at the airport, so that we don’t create more problems for air travelers.

    “We realise that if we completely shut down the airport, there will very serious problems for people in the country.

    “Since transporters are working, there is no reason for us to deny people from using the airport.”

    Also, the spokesperson of the Lagos Airport Police Command, Mr Joseph Alabi, enjoined travellers and other airport users to go about their lawful duties, without any fear of harassment.

    “As far as the Lagos airport is concerned, there is no problem. Our officers are on ground and there is no cause for alarm,” Alabi added.

    In Ibadan: The workers who resumed for work at the Federal Secretariat and Ministry of Environment were chased out to join the protest.

    The protesters left the NLC secretariat and proceeded through Ikolaba, Secretariat, Customs Osuntokun, Awolowo and then at Bodija market.

    They marched peacefully and distributed leaflets on why more people should join.

    Zonal Coordinator of Ibadan Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Professor Segun Ajiboye described the increment in the pump price of petrol by as a ‘terror policy’.

    Ajiboye while addressing a crowd of anti-subsidy removal protesters in front of the University of Ibadan (UI) gate said the pain being unleashed on Nigerians in the past one year by the federal government had become unbearable and required a mass anti-terror movement to check it.

    The government has no control over the black market but asked people to go to black market (to source foreign exchange). This is is clueless.”

    NLC chairman Waheed Olojede asked Nigerians not to see the strike as a labour struggle alone but a joint movement to check anti-masses policies

    Worried by the apathy toward its strike the Oyo NLC gave the NURTW in the state till today to join the protest m.

    Olojede, who gave the ultimatum, urged traders to support it.

    The strike has recorded low compliance as private schools, business enterprises , filling stations, markets as well as banks had remained open while there was free vehicular movement

    In Yola, the Adamawa State capital, following the closure of the two gates leading into the State Government Secretariat, by NLC officials enforcing the strike, some workers resorted to using foot paths to gain access to their offices.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that many workers, particularly car owners, parked outside the closed gates and used the foot paths in entering the secretariat.

    Some of the workers, who spoke to NAN, lamented the closure of the gates, adding that NLC should not insist on enforcing compliance.

    “It is not proper the way the NLC decided to be going round closing gates to prevent workers from entering their office premises.

    “They should embark on public enlightenment to woo workers to join the strike action instead of resorting to closing gates to prevent staff who are entering, “ a worker, who simply identified himself as Bappa, said.

    A NAN correspondent, who monitored the second day of the strike action, reports that the Federal Secretariat, banks, markets and motor parks were all open.

  • Edo: Protesters chase out workers from offices

    Protesters against fuel price increase Wednesday chased out Edo State government workers who resumed for duties.

    The protesters comprising of factional members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and members of the civil society organization.

    At the civil service secretariat, workers were already seated inside their offices when they asked to leave.

    Gates to the entrance of the State Ministry of Information and Orientation, Ministry of Justice and other parastatals were placed under lock and key.

    Staffers of the various ministries did not join in the protest march.

    They waited outside their offices for several hours and later left for home.

    Teachers in privately owned primary and secondary schools shunned the strike and protest march as the schools were opened for academic activities.

    Pupils of public primary and secondary schools were sent home by their teachers.

    Doctors and nurses were seen at their duty post at the state government owned hospitals and the courts were also in sessions.

    Federal government workers resumed for duty at the secretariat at Aduwawa in Ikpoba-Okha local government.

    All the offices were open for businesses.

    The protesters also chased away stated government workers who went for verification exercise.

    They pulled down the canopies and forced staff of the Information and Communication Technology unit to stop work.

    As at press time, the protesters were still marching along major streets of Benin City.

     

  • ‘Occupy National Assembly’ protesters seek Saraki’s exit

    ‘Occupy National Assembly’ protesters seek Saraki’s exit

    •Pro-Senate president’s group kicks        

    •Ndume: they’re laying bad precedence

    A civil society organi-sation, Citizens United for Peace and Stability, yesterday staged a rally at the National Assembly, demanding the “immediate resignation of Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki”.

    The protesters, who called themselves #OCCUPYNASS, criticised the purchase of 36 exotic Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) for the senators.

    They insisted that the “exorbitant vehicles” must be returned.

    They asked the lawmakers to revisit the 2016 budget in line with the Presidency’s demands.

    The protesters, mostly youths, said Saraki should vacate his seat for what they called mounting corruption cases preferred against him in the country and internationally.

    Apart from Saraki’s trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for alleged false declaration of assets, the group cited the alleged operation of offshore companies by Saraki in a tax haven.

    The activists proceeded from the Unity Fountain in the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to the National Assembly.

    As they marched toward the entrance to the National Assembly, they forced their way to the main gate.

    Due to the high number of the protesters, a security network mounted by regular and riot police officers collapsed.

    The security operatives promptly shut the main gate, an action which prevented workers, lawmakers and other visitors to the National Assembly from either entering or leaving the complex.

    The protesters formed a circle around the main gate to convey their demands.

    Armed with placards containing various inscriptions, the protesters insisted on sealing off the National Assembly for at least the initial three days of their protest.

    They vowed that they would only call off their protest when their demands are met.

    The protesters said they would mount a permanent protest and paralyse the National Assembly, if their demands were not met.

    Some of the placards displayed by the activists read: “Return exotic cars”, ”Saraki must go”, “Legislator stop budget padding”, “Enough is enough”.

    Their leader, Mr. Sadiq Jidda, insisted that “Saraki must resign”.

    He noted that his stay as the Senate President was no longer in the country’s interest.

    He said: “What does a legislator has to do with projects? We are gathered here to occupy National Assembly. Senate President should immediately resign. Saraki’s integrity is in question and he has been indicted. Yes, he has not been convicted, but his integrity is in question.”

    Another group, which protested in favour of Saraki, said those asking for the Senate President to resign did not mean well for the country.

    The pro-Saraki group’s leader, Solomon Adodo, insisted that those calling for the resignation of Saraki should be ignored.

    Adodo noted that the emerging negative trend must be fought by lovers of democracy.

    He said that the tenet of democracy must not be compromised.

    Senate Leader Mohammed Ali Ndume described the action of the anti-Saraki group as “dangerous for our democracy”.

    He said: “That is why we are not saying anything about them because what is happening out there is a very dangerous precedence that we are trying to set.

    “Nigerians and you too the press will have to help to define rights; know that where your rights ends, my own starts.

    ”I contested to be senator of Borno South. I did not force myself on my people and therefore, somebody out there, especially the one that did not elect me, cannot force me out because I didn’t come in by force.

    “I came in by ballot, not by gun and not by placard; I have posters but not placards. So, if for example, I am short of performance and my constituents feel that they didn’t have time to waste, there is a clear cut process: collect signatures, ask for me to be recalled. That is the democratic way and not by coming in here to stand and say you want to occupy NASS.

    “If you occupy NASS, to do what, to be leader or to be senator? It doesn’t work that way. If you strongly feel that Ndume is not doing well to represent southern Borno, next time, if you are up to 35, you just go and contest and defeat the man and come here and do better.”