Economic Hardship : Groups, NLC, dare the police, stage protest in Lagos
By Felix Kuyinu
Human rights movement groups have boycoted the warning by the Lagos State Police Commissioner, CP, Adegoke Fayoade, by kicking off a two-day warning protest on Tuesday in the wake of the economic meltdown suffered in the state and Nigeria as a whole.
The protests were held against the warning issued by the Lagos CP on Sunday.
Earlier on Monday, a Human rights group, the Joint Action Front and the Coalition for Revolution alongside residents in Lagos hit the streets of the metropolis to express their displeasure over the soaring price of food and the high cost of living in the country.
The protesters were seen carrying placards of various inscriptions at Ojuelegba under the bridge area of the state to make their grievances known on the current economic hardship across the country.
The Take it Back Movement, an organization which also joined the coalition spoke to newsmen through the Co-ordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu.
Sanyaolu said that the protest was a demonstration of the people’s will against oppressive tendencies and hardship.
“Yes, despite police attempts to frustrate the people, Lagosians stood their ground. The police are paid by taxpayers’ money, they are meant to secure us.
“We were able to march from Yaba Labour House to Maryland. The protest will continue tomorrow (Tuesday) and updates will be given. We will join NLC in their nationwide mass action to put an end to this hardship created by the ruling elite,” Sanyaolu added.
Sanyaolu continued saying, “The Tinubu-led government must immediately reverse the fuel subsidy removal, the floating of naira and other policies of the International Monetary Fund imposed on Nigerians.”
On Tuesday, having ended a meeting with the Federal Government on loggerheads, the NLC also kicked-off a two-day warning protest in various states in the country.
The NLC, having initially planned to stage a protest on Tuesday, 27th and Wednesday 28th played a front-runner role in the exercise in Ikeja. The protesters were seen carrying placards with inscriptions such as #END HUNGER AND POVERTY NOW! #END FUEL SUBSIDY NOW.
At the the scene which took place at Ikeja under the bridge the Labour Congress was joined by Human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, and some other Unions, such as the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) among others.
The unions are expected to hold the rally moving from the convergence point in Ikeja to the State House of Assembly in Alausa.
More details later………….