Protester killed in Kano - NBA: Impeach Jonathan if...

Written by Abdurrahman Mahmood Kano Friday, 06 January 2012 05:00

Police launched a pre-dawn assault on protesters’ camp in Kano yesterday, firing teargas and beating up demonstrators at the Silver Jubilee roundabout where they stayed overnight in protest of ending petrol subsidy.

A boy was killed and 300 other people were injured when the police stormed the place at about 1.30am, organisers of the rally told Nigerian factors.

Hundreds of protesters rallied on Wednesday in Kano and camped at the roundabout, which they renamed Liberation Square, where they said they planned to stay for as long as fuel subsidies were not restored.

But violence erupted when riot police and vigilantes stormed the area, Fahad Ibrahim Danladi, Treasurer of Citizens Coalition for Liberation, who was among the protesters when the incident happened, told Daily Trust in Kano.

“In the night we gave food to the police, we played music and we danced together but unfortunately around 1.30am some mobile police and the police officers we were together with started firing teargas,” he said.

Danladi said initially people tried to withstand the teargas but the police and vigilantes drove into the demonstrators, running over a young boy in the process, which resulted into breakage of his ribs.

The boy was taken to the hospital where died and his corpse deposited at the Murtala Mohammed Teaching Hospital.

He said the identity of the dead boy was yet to be ascertained.

Danladi said more than 300 people were injured.

“They smashed our vehicles, stole our money, laptops and food items worth N100,000 which people gave us as contribution. It is disastrous, too bad and inhuman,” he said.

“The police must pay us the damage they have done to us,” he added.

police and vigilantes drove into the demonstrators, running over a young boy in the process, which resulted into breakage of his ribs.

Another protest leader Audu Bulama was quoted by AFP news agency saying: “the policemen assisted by local vigilantes fired teargas on us, and when we refused to budge they used gun butts and cudgels to beat us while police vans ran into the crowd.”

Yusuf Idris Amoke told the BBC: “The police took cover and they started shooting tear gas into air and before we knew it they started hitting people. I was beaten by a stick, but with other people, guns were used on them. Everyone was running for his dear life; some people were falling; some people were taken unawares because they were sleeping.”

Kano police spokesman Magaji Musa Majiya disputed this version of the events, saying there were no beatings and no casualties.

Speaking to the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme, he said the protest organisers had agreed to move out of the square.

The police were left with no option but to use tear gas to disperse people after they received reports that “some miscreants and hoodlums had started to infiltrate [the protesters] and take the law into their own hands,” he said.

Majia also told a radio station that the protest was illegal as it did not have police approval.

“There are procedures to be followed by any group that wants to hold any kind of protests. The organisers of the protest must inform the police in writing, stating the date, time and venue of the protest, and secure police approval. Anything short of this is illegal,” he said, quoted by AFP.

The killing in Kano came two days after two protesters were reported shot dead in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Scrapping of fuel subsidy announced on New Year’s Day more than doubled petrol prices, sparking protests in many cities. The labour unions have called a national strike starting Monday.

Protests went on yesterday in Ibadan, Abeokuta, Kaduna and other cities, as condemnations also continued against the Federal Government for removing fuel subsidies.

The Nigeria Bar Association called on the National Assembly to urge President Goodluck Jonathan to rescind the policy.

NBA said should the President fail to heed the call, then the National Assembly should begin impeachment proceedings against him.

Jonathan, governors meet today

Written by Haroon M Salis Friday,  06 January 2012  
President Goodluck Jonathan will today meet with governors to review reactions that trailed the recent removal of fuel subsidy, Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has said.

Source said the threat by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on a nationwide strike on Monday would dominate the discussions at the meeting slated for 8am at the State House, Abuja.

He said, “The President will be meeting with us tomorrow (today) for us to further look at how states can also key in some of the palliative measures which the President has put forward because a lot of states for the first time will be getting subsidy. “The savings from this, at least Benue will be getting N7.6 billion. It is a drop in the ocean but it will make a difference. If I decide that N7.6 billion is going to build classrooms, I can achieve that.”

He said the benefits of subsidy would now reach the common man, who has never benefited from it. He said the government took the decision in the interest of Nigerians so that the country can move forward.

“If we just want to be a consuming nation, then we don’t have a future. Over the years, that is what we have been doing. So, we need to stand up as a country together and sacrifice so that we can guarantee the future of this country,” he said.

He said governors supported the subsidy removal because they needed more money to provide basic infrastructures which were lacking in their states.

“It is either that we continue to practise the system or go to a lesser expensive system of government. But as far as we continue with the presidential system of government, those incidental expenses must be there. You cannot run away from them.”

Reps, Amnesty warn against Police brutality

Written by Nuhu Adam  Friday, 06 January 2012 05:00
The House of Representatives Committee on National Security, Intelligence and Public Safety has warned security agencies against extra-judicial killing of Nigerians protesting the removal of petrol subsidy.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, committee chairman Rep Bello Muhammad Matawalle (PDP, Zamfara) said the committee was disturbed by reports of “alleged killings and arbitrary arrest and detention of the protesters across the country.”

He added: “Let me sound a note of warning that any security agent found to have violated the right of any Nigerian on account of the subsidy protest will be brought to book and will have himself to blame.

“These kind of protests have been taking place in many parts of the world, including Africa, and it is high time that our security agencies copied from those civilized countries.”

Matawalle said his committee was saddened by the killing of protesters by policemen in Ilorin on Tuesday.

He also warned that the committee would ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.

Matawalle said Nigerians have the right to protest against government policies they disagreed with and “the Constitution and our laws have spelt out clearly how the security agencies will conduct themselves in such circumstances.”

He said as representatives of the Nigerian people, the House would closely monitor the conduct of security personnel during and after the protests.

“We have seen in several places where security agents who indulge in that kind of violating the protesters’ rights were brought to account and ours will not be any different,” Matawalle said.

Amnesty International also warned that the authorities must immediately end excessive use of force against protesters, following the reported killing of at least one person in Ilorin.

Witnesses say a student, 23-year-old Muyideen Mustapha, was shot by police attempting to disperse protesters in the Kwara State capital on Tuesday. Police officials claim he was stabbed to death by other protesters and say an investigation into the killing has been launched.

“The police have a duty to protect lives and property and uphold the rule of law. It is therefore completely unacceptable for them to use live ammunition against protesters,” said Paule Rigaud, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Africa.

“The Nigerian authorities should respect and protect peoples’ rights to freedom of expression guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution, and should instruct the police force to refrain from shooting at protesters,” she said.

Under a controversial regulation, known as “Police Force Order 237”, police officers can shoot at rioters or protesters whether or not they pose a threat to life. The regulation directs officers to fire “at the knees of the rioters” and explicitly prohibits firing in the air.

“Force Order 237 is being abused by police officers to commit, justify and cover up illegal killings at every given opportunity. This regulation goes against international standards and should be repealed immediately,” said Rigaud.

Thousands of Nigerians in cities across the country have taken part in marches protesting against the removal of a state fuel subsidy, which has seen fuel prices and transport fares more than double.

Civil society groups and labour unions have announced further protests and national strike starting on Monday.

“With more protests coming up, it’s essential that the Nigerian police publicly announce that the use of lethal force is only allowed when strictly unavoidable to protect life. This simple step could make a big difference to the number of unlawful police killings we are seeing in Nigeria,” said Rigaud.

NLC has no interest of Nigeria at heart – Jang

Written by Hauwa'u A Mdk, 06 January 2012 
 Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang has reprimanded the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for threatening to embark on strike on Monday over the removal of fuel subsidy, saying the NLC “has no interest of this nation at heart.”

Jang, who spoke to journalists shortly after meeting President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja, said governors were in support of the deregulation of petroleum downstream sector.

He said, “If being unpopular will be for the best interest of Nigeria, he (president) has decided to take it and honestly, we back him up. Honestly, the NLC has no interest of this nation at heart.

“I am 100 percent in support of the removal of fuel subsidy because we have allowed things to just happen anyway for too long.”

He said Nigerians like what he called “awuf (free gift) and this ‘awuf thing has to stop. There is no country where everything is just free.”

Jang said even with the removal of subsidy, petrol is still not up to $1 a litre. “Go to the US, it is $1 plus. Go to the UK, it is £1 plus. Even Ghana with the removal of fuel subsidy, their petrol is still more expensive than Nigeria.”

He said subsidy removal was for the good of the common man, noting that before now moneys on subsidy were being cornered by a small cabal in the country.

“More money can now go to state; more money can now go for development,” he said.

On the insecurity in his states, Jang said apart from the few security cases, the state has been relatively peaceful. He, however, noted that any further attack on the state could be from outside the state.

Fuel subsidy removal: Protests rage in Abuja, Lagos, Kano

Thousands of people attended rallies in Abuja, Lagos and Kano yesterday to protest removal of fuel subsidy which heaved up petrol prices to as much as N160 per litre in parts of the country.

The Federal Government on Sunday announced scrapping subsidy on petrol, with regulator agency PPPRA fixing the price per litre at about N144, up from N65.

Yesterday, there was anger around the country as fuel stations adjust their pumps to various prices ranging from N138 to as much as N160 per litre, leading to rocketing of transport fares by more than 100 per cent.

In Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Ibadan, Bauchi, Minna, Gusau, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe and other places surveyed by our correspondents, commuters were seen paying prices that were double what obtained previously to get to their destinations.

Elder statesmen, opposition leaders, political parties, lawmakers, unionists and rights groups condemned the subsidy removal, which they say will worsen living conditions in the country.

Former military president General Ibrahim Babangida issued a statement faulting the move, saying it was ill-timed and should not have been abruptly implemented.

“The issue of subsidy should be seen more as politics and not economics, because the sole purpose of government is for the good of the people and not to create hardship,” Babangida said in a statement issued on his behalf by spokesman Kassim Afegbua.

“It is better to seek political solution to the subsidy discourse than invoking the sentiments of economics. Government should have kept its word till April by which time better explanation would have been given before implementation takes effect.

“The National Assembly should have been made to be part of the decision-making process since the 2012 budget is yet to be discussed and passed by the Legislature. Every government should ordinarily take the interest of her people at heart so that the reason for its existence would be justified.”

In Abuja, protesters mobilized via social networking sites Facebook and Twitter by ex-lawmaker Dino Melaye, gathered at the Eagle Square yesterday to sign a protest register.

Soon after the registration of names started, the Commander of the Guards Brigade Brig. Gen. Emmanule Atewe, FCT Director of State Security Service and the FCT Commissioner of Police Mr. Mike Zuokumor arrived at the square with a detachment of personnel from the Anti-Terrorism Squad.

They were overheard talking about using teargas to disperse the crowd, some of who held placards that read: “Now we know the real Boko Haram.”

As 361 people registered, police began firing teargas at the crowd. They also arrested many people, including Dino Melaye and journalist Abdulwasiu Hassan of Daily Trust, who were taken to Zone 3 Police Station before being moved to the office of the Abuja Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Soldiers from the Brigade of Guards also held some journalists hostage for about two hours.

Earlier, Melaye told journalists that he organized the register against fuel subsidy because the Presidency had graduated from being a weak entity to a wicked institution.

“When the President promised fresh air, is this what he means? It is very wicked for Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy,” he said.  “This protest is not going to be violent…. If by tomorrow (the president) refuses to revert to status quo, we will give him Egyptian treatment. Let the President go and fight corruption.”

The arrested Daily Trust reporter was released last night, but Melaye was still in detention by 7pm though our reporter learnt that he was billed to be released later.

In Kano, youths took to the streets to protest government’s removal of fuel subsidy.

The protesters marched from BUK Road through Gadon Kaya, Sani Mainagge and Sabon Titi in Kano city towards the Government House displaying placards with various anti-subsidy removal slogans.

They later dispersed when they were told that Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was not at the Government House.

Aminu Yau Muhammad, who led hundreds of youths in the demonstration, said their action was to show their anger over the government’s policy which he said had no backing of Nigerians. He vowed that they would not relent in their efforts to see that the policy is reversed.

He said ordinary Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship but have woken up to hear the government increasing fuel price thereby increasing their sufferings.

Also, the National Association of Kano State Students (NAKSS) gave the Federal Government a 24-hour ultimatum to rescind its decision or face non-violent riot.

Led by their national president Baraya Hassan Garba, the students told newsmen in Kano that they would not accept anything other than the government to rescind its decision.

“We are ready to go to war over this unpopular policy; the fuel subsidy removal clearly shows that Nigerian government is completely insensitive to the plight of Nigerians; and the earlier the government rescinds the decision the better,” Baraya said.

Similar protest rallies were also held in Lagos.

The Federal Government yesterday reacted to the protests, urging Nigerians to disregard any calls to demonstrations against fuel subsidy removal.

Information Minister Labaran Maku, in a statement in Abuja, said the deregulation policy was not aimed at causing hardship for Nigerians but targeted at opening the sector to growth and investment.

He said the government was taking measures to check the hike in the price of fuel beyond the approved levels.

Meanwhile, the government also set up a board that would manage funds saved from subsidy removal.

The Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme Board is headed by Dr. Christopher Kolade, while former Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore is to lead a dialogue committee to meet with labour and all other stakeholders.

Retired Major-General Mamman Kontagora will serve as deputy chairman of the Kolade board.

The board will include two representatives of the National Assembly, two representatives of  organized labour, one representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), one representative of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, one representative of women groups, one representative of youths, one representative of civil society organizations, Minister of Finance, the Minister of National Planning, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Minister of State for Health, the Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters, and six other individuals from the six geo-political zones, three of whom will be women.

“The mandate of the board shall be to oversee the fund in the petroleum subsidy savings account, and the programme specifically to improve the quality of life of Nigerians in line with the Transformation agenda of Mr. President,” presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said.