Again, police disrupt protest against fuel hike in Lagos

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The police in Lagos on Wednesday stopped members of the Joint Action Front who were protesting against the hike in fuel and electricity prices.

The protest was in alliance with other civil society and pro-labour groups in Nigeria.

The protesters, who defied the morning rain, called on the Federal Government to reverse the increase in fuel and electricity prices and also reject the privatization and deregulation policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The march took off around 10 a.m. at the Nigeria Labour Congress, Yaba, Lagos.

Achike Chude, the Vice-chairman of JAF, said the government keeps inflicting suffering on the people as a result of their gross failure.

Mr Chude said it is time for the Nigerian people to arise against bad leadership and say enough is enough.

Speaking on the role of the Labour Congress, Mr Chude said the NLC has historical duty to perform.

“They need to stand on behalf of the people and not on behalf of the government that is tormenting them, that is the impression that is being given by the silence of Labour on the monumental hardship of Nigerians.

“That they have taken sides with the government against the Nigerian people. I don’t want to believe that is true but they are the only ones that can prove that it is not true,” he said.

Malachy Ugwummadu, the former National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, said it is time for the people to rise up.

“The strength on those who oppress you lies in your weakness. Today we have decided to shake off those weakness and tell everyone that Nigeria belongs to us,” he said.

Stating their demands, the group asked for an unconditional reversal of hike in petrol price and electricity tariffs.