By Augustine Akhilomen
Nigerians have continued to display their anger over the sudden hike in the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as fuel and the electricity tariff by the administration of resident Muhammadu Buhari.
On Wednesday, protesters in some parts of Nigeria such as Ojuelegba in Lagos, Osogbo, and Abuja called for a total reversal to the old price for the commodity and the electricity tariff inclusive.
Protesters were armed with banner and placard chanting anti-government demanding the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari.
In Osogbo, the protesters converged at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Old Garage area, and matched through Oke-Fia junction, Alekuwodo, Ola-Iya Junction, and eventually terminated the protest in front of NUJ Correspondent Chapel, Fagbewesa.
The inscriptions on the banner read: ‘Nationalise the oil sector under workers democratic control’, ‘no to fuel, electricity tariff, ‘Buhari govt anti-poor’ and others.
One of the leaders of the protesters, the convener of Dialogue 360, Comrade Waheed Saka, said, “Nigerians have never had it so bad like we are under the current administration. We are here to protest against the hike in price which is not affecting businesses.
In Lagos, some of the activists protesting Lawanson Road, Ojuelegba were arrested on in Lagos by a combined team of security agencies.
The protester drawn from many socialist organizations, human rights /pro-democracy groups that participated in the JAF mobilisation and sensitization rally were stopped in the middle of the demonstration and taken into four Area C Police Command vans by fully armed police officers.
Some of the activists arrested: Aremson, Chike, Soweto, Dagga Tolar, Ade Sahara, Mrs Basirst Ogunlana, Mrs Goke Akinrogunde, Sina Odugbemi, Pelad, and a host of other comrades.
Some young Nigerians, who took to the streets of Abuja to protest against the increased electricity tariff, were spotted in a viral video being assaulted by some policemen.
@AyowoleSanyaolu who noted that the protest at the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) office in Abuja was peaceful, said the policemen who assaulted them told them that they don’t have the right to protest.
He tweeted, “While we protest peacefully at @NERCNG , Abuja, against the thoughtless increment in electricity tariff, @PoliceNG descended on us fiercely. A number of us were mercilessly beaten and others were dragged like common criminals. But in all, we stood our ground. Tyranny will not win! @PoliceNG says Nigerians have no right to protest”