Iran Press/ Africa: The protesters led by the leader of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo of the Trade Union Congress asked security operatives stationed at the legislative building to open the gate to allow the angry workers to express their displeasure on the situations in Nigeria.
Following the failure of the armed security officials to adhere, the angry protesters broke down the gate and subsequently moved to the second gate of the Assembly Complex. The organized labor unions kicked off the protests in all 36 country states.
The leadership of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, National Union of Road Transport Workers, among others, have participated in the protest against the increment in fuel prices and the failure of President Bola Tinubu administration to reverse some of the policies which the NLC tagged “unfriendly” and “anti-poor.”
President Bola Ahmad Tinubu, in his inaugural address on May 29, announced “fuel subsidy is gone,” which has led to an increase in the price of transportation and foodstuffs, among other things, across the country. In his reactions to the attempt by the security forces to prevent the protestors from entering the National Assembly building, the leader of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, said: “Nobody can take away that right. It’s a right that has been globally accepted. In the charter of fundamental right, the right to peaceful assembly is not a right that can be whisked away.”
The NLC leader emphasized that every citizen can express his view.
In an interview with Iran Press immediately after the protest, one of the protestors, Comrade Christiana Aboche, said, “Honestly, situations in Nigeria as a result of this oil subsidy removal is terrible and is not friendly at all. People are trekking in to go to their places of work. People find it very difficult to have two square meals a day, which is not a good thing to a common man.”
Maika Audu Usala, one of the members of civil service unions that organized the protest, in an interview with Iran Press, said, “This protest, we want to tell the country and the entire world that we are not enjoying the situation that the administration of the government has pushed us into. We really need change because we are suffering. People are dying of starvation and the government does not seem to have provisions for any palliation. They kept promising to us and they don’t take care; they don’t do anything. So we wanted to take to the streets to show people that the country is not in good condition.”
President Bola Ahmad Tinubu announced in his inaugural address on May 29 that “fuel subsidy is gone.”
The action has led to an increase in the price of transportation, and foodstuffs, among other things, across the country. The workers said they would continue to protest in the country's streets and shut down all government ministries if things were not changed.
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