Protests in Kaduna, Kano, soldiers shoot at protesters

Posted by admin Kaduna, Kano, Latest Politics, State News Monday, January 16th, 2012

The deployment of soldiers in the streets of Lagos may have stirred protesters to insist on going ahead with the public denunciation of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

For the sixth day running, protesters gathered in parts of Kano and Kaduna, insisting on the reversal of the pump price of petrol to N65.

In Lagos, soldiers fired at a large crowd of protesters marching from the Lagos office of the Nigerian Labour Congress in Yaba and insisting on converging on the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota, Lagos to hold a rally.

It was not clear if it was live bullets or teargas.

The crowd fled into nearby streets. There has been no word about casualties.

Another set of protesters marching through Oworonsoki Expressway has been stopped at Alapere while a separate group has converged on the Afrika Shrine at Agidingbi in Ikeja.

There are indications that protesters may gather in Ikoyi or Victoria Island for a rally.

There are fears that the situation may escalate if the confrontation between soldiers and protesters gets out of hand.

A report said armed State Security Service operatives have already reportedly invaded the Lagos office of the British Broadcasting Corporation and Cable News Network to stop further broadcast of the protests to the world.

A former CNN correspondent in Lagos, Christian Purefoy, who was detained by some soldeirs for taking shots confirmed that he had been released.

In a tweet, he wrote, “Thanks all – detained & now released but remember I’m not with CNN anymore.”

An unconfirmed report said the Chief Imam of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Ahmad Abdulrahman, has been placed under house arrest, on the orders of the Federal Government.

There have been complaints about the deployment of soldiers, with many saying its indicates that the Federal Government may be getting jittery.

In Niger State, the people have stayed at home, in deference to the directive of Labour and civil society that they should suspend street protests.

In Akure, the Ondo State capital, labour and civil society leaders gathered for a prayer over the lingering crisis.

Banks, schools, offices and filling stations are still shut in many cities across the country.

Among the few filling stations dispensing fuel are some said to still be selling at the old prices of N141 and N138.

-Punchwp_posts