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Nigeria grounded as protests over fuel subsidy removal cripple activities nationwide

Paralysis. This nine-letter word best captures the situation in virtually all parts of Nigeria last week when  economic and social activities were grounded by the  nationwide strike declared by the  Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and  civil society groups  to protest the recent removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government. In many parts of the country, markets, banks, government offices, petrol filling stations and shops were under lock and key just as the streets remained deserted.

In the major cities of the country, rallies and peaceful protests spearheaded by labour and civil society groups were held to compel the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to revert to the pre-January 1 pump price of fuel which was N65 per litre. It was indeed “the mother of all protests.”

In an apparent bid to calm frayed nerves over the astronomical increase in the pump price of fuel from N65 to N141 per litre as a result of the abrupt removal of oil subsidy, Jonathan had on January 7, announced the reduction of his salary and those of other top government functionaries by 25 percent. He also said that as part of the palliatives to cushion the effects of oil subsidy removal, government had concluded plans to launch the first phase of its 1,600 mass transit scheme, which he envisaged would help reduce transport challenges, facing many Nigerians. He also promised to revamp the railway system. But these measures were considered by Nigerians to be incapable of alleviating the pains of fuel subsidy removal.

A day before the nationwide strike commenced last Monday, the House of Representatives had on Sunday, January 8, held an emergency plenary during which it voted against the removal of fuel subsidy by President Jonathan. The legislators said the nation could not bear the full deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry for now and, consequently, asked the federal government to ensure a reversal of the fuel pump price so that the issue could be reversed through dialogue. The House had also appealed to Labour to postpone the strike in favour of dialogue. Aminu Tambuwal, speaker, House of Representatives, who presided over the session, said the intervention by the legislature was the best it could do to douse tension in the land.

But in its reaction to the resolution of the legislators, the Presidency said it had no “substantial effect.” Reuben Abati, senior special adviser to the president on media, claimed that the resolution of the House was tantamount to “inciting the people of Nigeria against the government of which it is a part. If the House of Representatives has an input to make, it can do so when considering the budget. Even then I am not sure that the powers of the legislature go as far as dictating what should be the content of the budget.”

Apparently emboldened by the January 6 controversial injunction of Babatunde Adejumo, president of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, restraining labour from going ahead with the strike action, the federal government refused to heed the resolution of the House of Representatives. On its part, the organised labour insisted that it would go ahead with the general strike because no institution has the powers to abrogate the people’s right to peaceful protest.

Therefore on Monday, January 9, the nationwide strike kicked off with aplomb in all parts of the country.  On the first day of the strike, workers, led by Abdulwaheed Omar and Peter Esele, presidents of NLC and TUC respectively converged on Julius Berger Roundabout in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, about 8 a.m. where the mass protect commenced. Under the nose of about 1,500 armed policemen and soldiers, the protesters under the auspices of ‘Operation Occupy’ rendered solidarity songs and danced to the tunes of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the late Afro- beat maestro.

The protest jolted the federal government which took extra step to protect Eagle Square and  prevent ‘Operation Occupy Nigeria’ holding at the place. The Eagle Square was cordoned off by armoured vehicles and security agencies to prevent the workers from having access to it for a rally.The siege on Eagle Square, however, did not deter the protesters from marching through Zone 5, Zone 6, Wuse Market to the AP Plaza in Wuse II.

Some of those at the procession were Owei Lakemfa, general secretary of NLC; Charles Oputa alias   Charly Boy; Osita Okechukwu, national publicity secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP;  Dino Melaye, former member of the House of Representatives, and  Patrick Obahiagbon, a former federal legislator from Edo State.

The protesters wielded placards  with inscriptions such as : “Nigeria is not Animal Farm, it is our right to protest;”  “Jonathan: Fight insecurity and corruption, our refineries must work now;” “President Goodluck, is this your type of fresh air”; “Subsidy removal, a crime on Nigerians;” “One day, the poor will have nothing to eat but the rich;” “Security, stable power supply, good roads, education, job creation, affordable housing, not fuel price increase;”  “We reject IMF/World Bank neo-liberal policies;” “Socialist Workers League: No to fuel price hike, revolution now”; and “Everyday for government, one day for its people” among others.

At a stop over rally in Wuse Market at  10.27 a.m. last Monday, Omar, the NLC president, asked Nigerians to prepare for a long drawn strike. “Comrades, we are not going to talk too much. But the message is that Nigerians are saying no to fuel price increase. What organised labour and civil society coalition are saying is that we must revert back to N65. “Mr. President addressed the nation and in his address which, of course, was an emergency, announced a reduction of 25 percent of the basic salary of political office holders. The President is the highest political office holder in Nigeria. His basic salary per annum is N3.5million. Alright, if you reduce 25 percent from N3.5million that means you are reducing about N650, 000. “Comrades, let us assume that there are 1000 or 10,000 other political office holders in Nigeria. N650, 000 times 10,000 is only a paltry N65million. Comrades, the President’s entertainment alone as provided in this year’s proposed budget is one billion Naira.

 “The provision for travels for Mr. President this year is N10billion. If you replicate all these in the same proportion in the states, what we are saying is that, that is not what we want. And if that reduction is done, will it have any effect on the price of commercial vehicles? Will it have any effect on the goods we buy?”

All participants at the Abuja rally were further invigorated to sustain the protest by the NLC president’s speech. For the period the strike lasted last week, civil servants in the FCT did not go to work at the Federal Secretariat housing all the offices of the federal ministries and agencies.

 In Lagos, the strike was jointly co-ordinated by labour, members of civil society organisations, activists, actors and musicians. The mass protest in Lagos began as early as 8.00 a.m. last Monday, when thousands of people converged on the NLC office in Yaba. From there, the protest turned carnival-like as the protesters marched through the ever-busy Ikorodu Road, ending the protest at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park at Ojota.

Apart from the protest by the civil rights and political activists, members of Nigeria Bar Associatio, NBA, also marched from the Lagos High Court on Igbosere Road in Lagos, through Marina to Government House on Lagos Island where they handed a protest letter to Babatunde Fashola, governor of Lagos State. The NBA said the government action on the withdrawal of fuel subsidy was ill -timed and anti-people. They implored the governor to deliver the letter to President Jonathan.

As the strike lasted, all the major streets of Lagos were deserted. Protesters also barricaded the Lagos - Ibadan Expressway at places like Ibafo were they made bonfires and prevented any form of vehicular movement. However, the protest turned tragic at Yaya Abatan in Ogba, Lagos, last Monday, when a policeman identified as Segun Fabunmi allegedly killed Aderinde Ademola, a young man while three others sustained gunshot wounds.  The accused policeman was said to have arrived the area and started firing sporadically and in the process killed Ademola. Following a petition filed by the civil society groups, Yakubu Alkali, the Lagos State commissioner of Police, ordered the arrest and detention of the accused policeman.

Apart from this ugly incident, the mass protest was very successful in Lagos as rallies were held at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, on a daily basis. The protest rally tagged Occupy Lagos, Nigeria, was organised by the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, in coalition with other civil rights groups. On the first day, the organisers had used the effigy of platform of Gani Fawehinmi in Ojota to serve as podium for the rally. But the major challenge for that choice was the narrow space around the effigy. This made the convergence of crowd at the podium highly unsuitable and inhibited the protesters from seeing proceedings at the stage. Notwithstanding the problem and the frequent interruption of the public address system that was witnessed on the first day, the spirit of the protesters was kept alive by rousing speeches rendered by prominent  political leaders and civil rights activists including Tunde Bakare, convener of Save Nigeria Group, Tunji Braithwaite, political activist,  Femi Falana, Lagos lawyer, Mohammed Fawehinmi and Ganiat, his mother. They all urged the crowd to persevere until victory was achieved.

Braithwaite, the 76-year-old political activist, said the current event in Nigeria showed that the appointed time to rescue the soul of Nigeria from those who held it captive had finally come.”There’s something called an appointed time. We are here today on this podium to announce to our children and rulers that the appointed time has arrived. There’s no going back. With the power of the Almighty with us, we are taking over our nation and the entire black race and freeing ourselves,” Braithwaite said.

More inspiring for the protesters were the songs rendered by  music stars such as Femi Kuti, Ras Kimono, Sound Sultan, Ruggedman, Ayinde Wasiu and hosts of other singers. Many residents were initially not aware of the protest at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, held first on Monday, January, 9. The live television broadcasts instantly generated awareness about the protest which looked like the occupation of Tahirir Square by Egyptian protesters.  Muhammed Rasheed, a tailor, who resides in Bariga area of Lagos State, got the hint of the protest from his television set.  Rasheed, who came in obviously high spirit, said he was determined to stick with the protesters till the end of the battle. He said it is either reversal of the policy or no deal. 

The second day of the protests was more novel. Minor hitches on the first day were taken care of. The innocuous podium was set at an advantageous position where it was easy for the crowd to catch glimpses of the proceedings on stage.  More artistes, human right activists and opponents of the government policy trooped out in their thousands. No space was left unoccupied by the huge crowd. The protest took a carnival form with musical performances, comic shows and side attractions by many groups at the venue that also proved their ingenuity by stealing the show with various representation of their own kind of protest. During speeches, speaker after speaker condemned what they described as the anti-people New Year gift the Jonathan administration offered the Nigerian masses. They vowed to push on until the government rescinds its decision. 

Bakare said the protest was against the high level of corruption among the Nigerian leaders for which they now want to punish the masses through the removal of fuel subsidy. “Nigeria has been run not for profit of all, not for the good of Nigerians, but for selfish and corrupt interests. And Nigerians are saying enough is enough. Say no to subsidy removal! Say no to the squandering of our wealth!!,” Bakare said.

On his part, Falana said Nigeria remained the only oil-producing country where petroleum products are not subsidised. He urged the security agencies to co-operate with the masses to force the government to have a re-think on its anti-people policy. Similar carnival-like rallies were also held in Abuja

In Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the streets were deserted just as markets, banks, schools and other offices were closed. Protesters also marched round the streets to express their dismay over the new fuel price regime.

In Ekiti State, Felix Ajakaye, the Catholic bishop of Ekiti Diocese, led thousands of residents of Ekiti State and leaders of several organised labour and civil society groups to protest the removal of the oil subsidy by the federal government. The protest, which grounded commercial, social and economic activities of the state to a halt, also witnessed several bonfires made by some hoodlums, across the major streets of Adebayo, Odo-Ado, Ajilosun on Akure road and other areas. The situation was the same in Ondo State, workers in both the public and private sectors complied with the directive of labour by staying away from work.

But Osun and Oyo states were among the most violent centres of the fuel subsidy crisis. The protest was hijacked by miscreants who took over the Ife-Ibadan Expressway and prevented motorists from using the road. The protesters erected road blocks at 50 metres intervals.  At each roadblock, motorists were forced to pay between N200 and N500 before they were allowed to move on. The miscreants, most of whom were openly smoking Indian hemp carried cutlasses, sticks, and missiles which they freely used on motorists unwilling to co-operate with them. At some of the road blocks, motorists were also forced by the miscreants to abuse President Jonathan before they were allowed to go.

The situation in Ibadan on Tuesday, January 10, was particularly tense. The by-pass leading to the Ibadan-Lagos expressway was blocked by the protesters. They had erected road blocks at many points on the road, forcing motorists to park. Many Lagos-bound vehicles were prevented from proceeding. Some of the protesters later turned robbers, collecting money, and handsets from stranded passengers.

A curfew earlier declared by the Oyo State government was ignored by the protesters who refused to leave the road even up till 10 p.m. that day. Attempts by the police and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, to dislodge the protesters and free the road were rebuffed by the protesters who promised their attackers a more bloody confrontation the next day.

Most of those who participated in the protests in Ibadan, the Oyo State and parts of Osun State openly announced that they were graduates who had been unable to secure jobs after several years. Some said they joined the protest because the fuel subsidy removal would further prolong their waiting for jobs. They want President Jonathan to rescind the decision to remove fuel subsidy.

In most places in Osun and Oyo states, police were away from the roads. People were left at the mercy of protesters who were ready to burn vehicles of those who refused to offer them money. Some travellers had to check into nearby hotels to await a time that it was safe for them to continue their journey to Lagos.

In Kwara State, North-Central geopolitical zone of the country, it was a  good outing for the organisers as workers in both private and  public service, students, civil societies, markets women, and  artisans in  Ilorin, the state capital, came out in large numbers to protest  the removal  of  fuel subsidy by the federal government. The town experienced heavy presence of policemen who were armed to the teeth. An Air force aircraft also hovered around Ilorin. 

Offices, shops, kiosks and business premises were also closed down  and thereby halting buying and selling in Ilorin, the state capital, and other towns in the state. The   adjourning towns like Offa, Ajase-Ipo, Oro, Omuaran, Share, Pategi, Lafiaji, Erinle and Shonga were also shut down by the strike. However, Muyideen Mustafa one of the youths involved in the protest was killed last Monday.

 In Lokoja, Kogi State, the ever busy Lokoja - Abuja road was deserted as protesters held sway. The protest was co-ordinated by James Odaudu, NLC chairman in the state and Abdulazeez Ganiyu, state chairman of the TUC. The  protesters, mostly youths, marched from Paparanda Square, their convergence point which they renamed Freedom Square. From there, they marched through IBB Way and Lord Lugard road and arrived at the Kogi State Government House where the protest almost went out of hand. It took the persuasive efforts of the NLC and TUC leadership to avert the outbreak of violence.

As part of activities to sensitise the public to build their confidence, and to discourage rumour, a one hour live programme on Grace FM in Lokoja, was organised for a phone-in discussion to sustain the struggle against the subsidy removal.

In Nassarawa State, the protesters made it difficult for motorists to move as youths had mounted road blocks from Kaderoko through up to Lafia, the state capital.  The youths prevented motorists from passing through the high way which is the only link between the North and the south from that axis.

In Plateau State, the security situation in Jos compelled workers not to stage protest in the streets. Jibrin Bancir, state NLC chairman who announced the suspension of the protest, said the immediate negative impact of government’s action was increase in the cost of transportation, food items, drugs, and rents. He explained that it was a clear indication that government was insensitive to the hardship experienced by Nigerians.

In Benue State, the strike was peaceful as workers obeyed the stay-at-home order by labour.  But in some states in the North-West, the protest which commenced peacefully later turned violent. Some of the states that witnessed violent protest include Niger, Kano and Kaduna where curfew was imposed by the various state governments last week.

In Kaduna, the crowd that responded to the nationwide strike was unprecedented. Hundreds of youths, including the Almajiri trooped out in support of the labour unions. Shops and markets were closed while residents of the city remained indoors for fear of the unknown, leaving the city centre deserted. The youths were daring in their protest over the removal of fuel subsidy as they arched round some parts of the city singing solidarity songs, and carrying placards.

In Kano, the state government imposed a 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew as a measure to avert a breakdown of law and order, following the disturbance which followed the strike, which was allegedly hijacked by miscreants. The protesters also torched and vandalised the offices of the secretary to the state government, vandalised the perimeter fence of government house, while more than 18 cars were set ablaze at the SSG’s office. In Kano State, Bashir Musa Zangoa, a 25-year-old, student of Bayero University, Kano, BUK, and Abdulmalik Rabiu Badawa, 27-year-old Abdulmalik Rabiu Badawa, were shot dead by security agents.

In Niger  State, the protest degenerated into rioting last Wednesday, and burning of the offices of  the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Minna and the governor’s campaign office. This compelled Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu, the state governor to   impose a 24-hour curfew in the state.  Similarly, in Zamfra State, the government imposed curfew last Wednesday, when protesters started destroying government properties. The protest was, however, peaceful in Kebbi, Sokoto and Katsina states.

In the North-East, the protest was relatively peaceful in Borno, Yobe, and Gombe which were still recovering from the menace of Boko Haram. However, in Bauchi, the palace of Muhammadu Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, Emir of Bauchi, was attacked by thugs who left many persons injured after smashing the glasses of the offices of the emirates including the office of a senior council member.

The protest against the subsidy removal recorded a low turn out in the South-East. Although the workers in virtually all the states in the geopolitical zone stayed away from work, commercial activities went on in some parts of Igboland. For instance, in Aba, the commercial nerve-centre of Abia State, the Ariaria International Market opened for business while people went about their normal business. Vehicular movement was normal as commercial vehicles and motorcycles operated.

In Onitsha, Anambra State, commercial activities were also in full swing while the strike lasted. The Onitsha Main Market was opened for normal business and life in the city was normal but banks were shut.

In Enugu State, the directive of labour was not heeded as Sullivan Chime, the state governor had banned public assemblies, meetings or processions in any part of the state until further notice. Civil servants also reported for work on a daily basis as the governor had threatened to sack those who absented themselves from work during the strike.

In Imo State, a handful of protesters, mainly labour leaders, went round the streets in Owerri singing solidarity songs and carrying placards. Although public institutions such as government offices, banks, and petrol stations were under lock and key, commercial activities went on in many parts of the state.

 In the South-South, the protest was effectively co-ordinated. In Edo State, especially on the first day, labour leaders marched to Government House, Benin City, where they presented their demands to Adams Oshiomhole, the governor. Oshiomhole expressed solidarity with the labour unions and the civil society groups in their protests against the removal of fuel subsidy, saying they had a right to stage peaceful protests against any policy they felt aggrieved about. “Let me use this opportunity to reassure the people of Edo State that government is aware of the challenge confronting them as a result of the changes in prices. I am confident that the federal government and the leadership of the civil societies would resolve these issues through dialogue,” the governor said.

However, it later turned violent when it was hijacked by hoodlums who burnt down the central mosque on Ring Road in Benin City and unleashed mayhem on people.

In Delta State, the strike action was successful in parts of the state as total compliance was observed. In Asaba, Delta State capital, all public and private offices, including the federal and state secretariats, banks, the Government House and the House of Assembly complied fully with the strike action as they were either locked or sealed up by the striking unions who went about with chains and padlocks. In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and its environs, business activities were brought to a halt last week.  Banks,  sea ports and the air ports among others were shut down. Also shut against the civil servants were the state and federal secretariats in Port Harcourt. In the same vein, all petrol stations were also closed down. Markets remained open but banks and other financial institutions were closed.

The protest began Monday, January 9, with the civil society groups converging  at the Isaac Boro Park at the ever busy Aba Express Way as early as 7. 30 a.m. From there,  they marched round the major streets in Port Harcourt. Last Tuesday, the organised labour converged at the Isaac Boro Park venue, from where they commenced their fuel subsidy removal protest. They later marched down to Government House, Port Harcourt, where they were also addressed by Chibuike Amaechi, governor of the state.

  In Bayelsa, the home state of President Jonathan, the strike was devoid of street demonstrations. However, civil servants stayed away from work.  Many residents of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital went about their duties as if the strike was never called. A group of women even staged a protest against Nigerians who were opposed to the removal of fuel subsidy by the Jonathan administration.

Akwa Ibom State remained calm last week despite the strike called by labour and civil society groups. Markets, including the popular Akpan Andem in Uyo metropolis were open. Banks and government offices however, remained closed. Security personnel were found at the gates of Akwa Ibom State secretariat and the Federal Government secretariat located on Abak road.

The impact of the strike was most felt in the state last Monday when thousands of protesters converged at the Ibom Plaza city centre for a rally tagged: “Operation Occupy Ibom Plaza” at about 9.00 a.m. from where they matched through major streets of Uyo to eventually turn into Wellington Bassey Way, which terminates at the Akwa Ibom Government House.

Unyime Usoro, NLC state chairman, told the people that the strike would not end until government directed that petrol be sold again at N65 per litre. Protesters were addressed by Nsima Ekere, deputy governor of the state. He told them that the situation on ground had serious economic implication on the nation but appealed to the protesters to pursue dialogue to resolve the situation.

Chris Ekpenyong, former deputy governor of the state, told Newswatch that the removal of subsidy was not injurious to the nation. “It  is better to remove the subsidy and use it to impact on the people than for a group of people to take N600 billion every year to share among themselves even when the product that is brought in cannot be bought by Nigerians at the subsidised price,” he said. Ekpenyong urged Nigerians to allow the transformational agenda of the president take its course.

In Cross River State, there was partial compliance by the workers last Monday. However, the situation changed on Tuesday, when Njom Nyambi, the NLC chairman in the state and Louis Usang, his TUC counterpart, took steps to enforce participation in the strike. Since then, thousands of protesters have always turned up at the secretariat from 7.00 a.m for daily procession along the major streets of the city of Calabar. However, many shops have remained open while movement of vehicles and other commercial activities were not restricted.

Nigerians in the Diaspora were not left out in the protest. Nigerians resident in the United Kingdom last week protested against the decision of the federal government to remove fuel subsidy on January 1, 2012. The protest which was organised by Students Association of Nigerians in Diaspora, Nigerian Youth League and the Nigerian Students Association, University of Greenish was well attended. Chinua Achebe, renowned writer, also justified the protests. He said it was the wrong for the Jonathan administration to remove fuel subsidy without fighting corruption. “If the present government reduced its bloated budget, curbed the outrageous salaries and perks of parliamentarians, state governors, and local governments officials, that would yield an additional hundred, if not billions of dollars  a year.”

While the strike lasted, domestic and foreign airlines recorded losses due to the disruption of their operations. No domestic carrier operated flight either into or out of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. Mohammed Tukur, assistant secretary, Airline Association of Nigeria, AON, said in as much as he does not agree with the idea of Nigeria continuously spending much money in subsidising fuel, he believes that the timing of the subsidy was very wrong. He lamented that this was the first time in the history of strikes on Nigeria that grounded airline services.

He said as at Wednesday last week which was the third day of the strike, airlines and the entire aviation industry had lost N10 billion at the rate of N3 billion a day.

As the Jonathan administration realised that Nigerians were determined to go ahead with the strike, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, co-ordinating minister for the economy and minister of finance;  Deziani Alison-Madueke, minister of petroleum, and Lamido Sanusi, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, tried to explain to  Nigerians that the prices of petroleum products would drop when the four refineries are back on stream in  the next 24 months.

Okonjo-Iweala said the proper Turn-Around Maintenance of the refineries would be carried out by the original builders to ensure lower prices for fuel. “We will invest in refineries only in conjunction with the private sector, so we can ensure that we have working refineries. It is important that our refineries work because when they do, the price of fuel will reduce