THE nationwide strike over the removal of subsidy on petrol enters the second day, as  thousands of protesters marched in the streets of Lagos, Abuja, Akure, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and some other cities in the country.

And as the impasse between the Federal Government and stakeholders of organized labour continues  48 hours after take-off of industrial action by the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, the Federal Government has ordered the massive deployment of heavy paramilitary officers across the country.
The Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro who made the disclosure in a statement in Abuja declared that the service chiefs of government paramilitary have been directed to have their officers to contain emergency situation.

The Nigerian Immigration Service has specifically been ordered to conduct a serene patrol aound areas where state of emergency had been declared and monitor the Sea Ports and land borders to prevent sabotage and vices infiltration.

According to him, against the backdrop of protest across the country over the removal of fuel subsidy, the service chiefs of government paramilitary agencies are to massively deploy their men Nationwide in order to contain any emergency that could arise in the course of the protest.

While addressing Chief executives of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Fire Service, Civil Defense corps and the Prison Service, Moro said: “The protection of lives and properties is of paramount importance to government and no effort should be spared in protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians.”

In Lagos, protesters gathered at the Gani Fawehinmi park at Ojota in a carnival-like atmosphere with performances by musicians laced with speeches by members of the civil society.

In Abuja, a confrontation between protesters and seccurity agents was averted when the Police and Navy personnel prevented protesters from marching to the Freedom Square at Wuse, before Labour leaders waded in to resolve the crisis

Strike grounds international flights, passengers stranded

The continuous shut down of Nigeria which entered day two took a heavy toll on international travel as international flights were totally grounded.

The Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress made good their threat  as they stopped foreign airlines from taking off in all the airports.

Unlike on Monday when international flights were allowed to operate skeletal flights by the unions, none of the airlines was allowed to operate flight operations out of the country.

At the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, foreign airlines like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Emirates, Arik Air, Ethiopian, Air France and KLM who hitherto thought they would be allowed to operate, were disappointed when the industry unions prevented them from checking in passengers for flights outside the country.

When The Guardian visited the airport, passengers who had wanted to depart the country were stranded without any hope of travelling out even later in the day. No fewer than 600 passengers of various airlines were at the airport yesterday and wore gloomy faces.

The in-house unions; Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria, National Union of Air Transport Employees and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers barricaded entry point into the airport.

At the General Aviation Terminal, Lagos, the personnel of the Nigerian Air Force and other security operatives attached to the airport took over the security of the terminal.

Also, at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Two, the complex was still under lock and keys as stern looking security officers manned the entry and exit gates.

Deputy Gov. appeals to protesters

As the protests against the removal of oil subsidy enters the second day, the situation in Akwa Ibom remained unchanged as only government establishments and banks still remained under lock and key.

Commercial activities in the state are not in any way affected by the protest, while the Ibom Plaza which was taken over by labour on Monday has been deserted.

However, according to sources from the labour camp said that, labour are out to enforced the protests by ensuring that markets, shops and other businesses places close shops.

Those who spoke with The Guardian in the state are in support of the removal, praying that God should give the President the mind not to weaver as it was only such political will that would bring about the needed transformation expected in the country.

Hoodlums Take Over Kaduna Roods
Following the threat to Peace in Kaduna state as a result of the strike action against the removal of fuel subsidy, the Coalition of Civil Society, Labour and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), suspended street protests while asking residents in the state and protesters to remain at home and await further directive from labour.

The decision of the Labour and Rights activists was on the heels of the invasion of hood looms who came out in their thousands to the streets setting barricades on major roads and highways, taking advantage of the labour protests.

The hoodlums carried fresh leaves and other dangerous weapons as they they engaged in singing war songs. Among the places taken over by the mob, mostly Almajeris included Ahmadu Bello Way, Angwar Seriki, Gwuandu road, Katsina road, Mando, kawo and other neighbourhoods.The entire metropolis was deserted, as residents stayed indoor for fear of attack.

Besides, the coalition of Labour, Civil Society and NBA said at a press conference at the Labour house, Kaduna that in view of the peculiar security situation in the state and the fact that they don’t want a repeat of what happened in Kano and Lagos to happen in Kaduna, they decided to suspend street protest while asking residents to continue with the strike by remaining in their houses.

Security agents stop skirmishes in Edo

Stern looking soldiers and mobile policemen truncated what may have resulted to skirmishes between suspected hoodlums in Benin City who seemed to have hijacked the strike called by organized labour and some non-indigenes. They cordoned off the whole of Erie Street, where killings were reported on the first day of the protest and parts of First East Circular road were irate youths also torched a school.

Along First East Circular road, youths from both groups who felt threatened by the activities of the suspected hoodlums were wielding cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.The presence of the military men prevented attempts to torch a mosque which appeared to be target of the attack.

Meanwhile, the state chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) has ordered their members to henceforth sit at home in observation of the strike apparently to avoid the hijacking of the process by hoodlums who capitalized on the Monday incidence to loot.

The union leaders in a joint press conference hurriedly addressed by the state chairman of the NLC, Emma Ademokun accused those who hijacked the planned peaceful protest of rubbishing their objective.

One dies in Osun

Day two of fuel subsidy removal protest turned sour in Osogbo,Osun state capital following the death of a protester.

The victim, Raheem Mojeed died after he  allegedly received machete cuts inflicted on him on Monday by one “Lawrence the law” believed to be a political thug.

He was said to have been rushed to a nearby Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, a Catholic hospital where he was treated and later discharged.

The news of his death raised tension in the state capital when the protesters learnt that the deceased was hacked to death with a charmed cutlass.

Mojeed,popularly called “Apampa” by his friends and admirers was brutally attacked on Monday at Jaleyemi junction,Osogbo.His corpse was deposited in the morgue of the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital,Osogbo at about 1.00 pm yesterday.

The Guardian learnt that Lawrence grew angry and attacked Mojeed when the latter prevented him and his colleagues from driving past a barricade mounted at Jaleyemi junction during the protest.

Bayelsa Labour, Civil society gets threat from Politicians, ex-militants

The ranks of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Organised Civil Society group led by the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) in Bayelsa State  came under serious threat from persons identified as supporters of the President Goodluck Jonathan in the region including ex-militant leaders and Politicians.

But the NLC, led by its Chairperson, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyan and the
Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Yekorogha, moved out
into the streets of the State capital to ensure compliance with the nationwide strike action called against the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

It was gathered from some members of the Civil Liberty Organisations that some officials of the Federal Government and Ex-militant Leaders from the Niger Delta were issuing subtle threat against them for embarking on a failed Protest march in the state capital and warned them not to allow the unnamed cabal against the Goodluck Jonathan
administration to use them.

-Guardian

Posted by admin on Jan 10 2012. Filed under Headlines, Oil Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry