Students of tertiary institutions under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone D in Lagos State, on Tuesday, staged a protest to express their grievances over the hike in electricity tariff and petrol price in the country.
A similar protest also held in Ondo, Osun and Oyo states as the students gathered at different state capitals to condemn the recent hike in the price of petrol and electricity tariff, which they described as anti-people.
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They issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to reverse the price hikes.
The government last Wednesday, through the Petroleum Pricing Marketing Company (PPMC), increased the price of petrol from N138 to N151.56 per litre, forcing marketers to increase pump price from N148 to N162 per litre.
The protesters who stormed the streets of Lagos in their hundreds, carried placards with different inscriptions, saying ‘No to increased price of fuel, electricity tariff, VAT, bank charges and DSTV subscription’.
One of the protesters at Ojota in Lagos, who gave his name as Adebola Abiodun, lamented that Nigerians are suffering and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the recent hike in fuel price and electricity tariff.
The spokesman of the association, Kazeem Israel, had earlier lamented that by the increases, the present administration has succeeded in worsening the crises it inherited from the last administration.
He called on President Buhari to reverse the decision.
Also angered by the hike in the price of PMS and electricity tariff, some youths in Ondo State besieged the main roads of the state capital, Akure, with placards and banners to kick against the hike while chanting solidarity songs to condemn the government’s actions and decision.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Kowe Odunayo, Coordinator of NANS Zone D, said the hike in both petrol price and electricity billing were total wickedness on the part of the government, adding that the youths, most especially students, would be badly affected.
He added, “The federal government cannot continue to take us for fools with their anti-people policies.”
In Ibadan, Oyo State, some pressure groups and organisations protested against the government’s action, and advised Nigerians to stop expressing their grievances on the internet or social media whenever their rights are being abused.
The National Coordinator, All Workers Convergence (AWC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, who led the protest said Nigerians, especially the youths need to resist the increment outright.
“If they fail to bring down the price of petroleum and electricity tariff, we are calling on all Nigerians that by Monday, we will start to observe sit-at-home,” he said.
Students in Osun State also under the auspices of NANS issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to reverse the hike in the price of fuel and electricity tariff and threatened to embark on another protest on October 1st, 2020 should the FG fail to reverse the increment at the expiration of the ultimatum.
