PROTESTERS SHUT DOWN IBADAN

Hundreds of the Ibadan Polytechnic students and city residents trooped out yesterday to protest against the removal of the petroleum subsidy recently announced by the Federal Government.

The irate mob marched through Sango-Poly Road, Mokola, Adamasingba, Dugbe, Oke-Bola, Oke-Ado and other major streets in the state capital, making bonefires, while also singing anti- government songs to condemn the Federal Government decision.

This was even as the Joint Action Front
(JAF), a coalition of civil society organizations, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan chapter and other bodies aligned themselves with the decision of the national body of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on an indefinite strike beginning from Monday.

The coalition which addressed a press conference at the NLC secretariat in Ibadan yesterday, threatened to replicate last year's civil revolution in Egypt here in Nigeria, if the government fails to reverse to the old price of N65 per litre.

While JAF was addressing the press, the protesters somewhere else, obstructed free flow of traffic in the areas where they passed, forced commercial vehicles to stop and discharge their passengers, forcing them to trek long distance to their destinations.

Motorists plying the routes quickly made detour to avoid vandalisation of their vehicles, while others simply displayed green leaves on their windscreen as a mark of solidarity with the protesters.

Armed soldiers and policemen attached to 'Operation Burst,' the security outfit recently launched by Oyo State Government maintained law and order during the protest. The security agents also put off the bonfire made by the demonstrators.

JAF led by the former Chairman of the UI chapter of ASUU, Dr. Ademola Aremu said the Ibadan mass rally scheduled to start on Monday would be holding simultaneously with the nationwide strike declared by the leadership of NLC and that it would cripple the economy and force the Federal Government to rescind its decision.

Aremu added that Nigerians are free people who should not be subjected to any civil dictatorship by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He hinted that the coalition had mobilized artisans, market men and women, workers, both in the private and public sector to participate in the mass rally against the removal of oil-subsidy, adding that the removal of oil subsidy, despite the public outcry about the policy was a declaration of war by President Jonathan on the Nigerian masses and that the masses would revolt.

At the press conference were UI ASUU Chairman, Dr. Segun Ajiboye, Vice Chairman, Oyo NLC, Ayobami Ajayi, the Coordinator of Transition Monitoring Group, Moshood Erubami, Mr. Femi Aborisade, Dr. Doyin Adebowale, among others.

Aborisade in his remark said Nigerians have demonstrated that they have the capacity to revolt against unpopular government and that they could adopt whatever methodology they desire. 'Ours is to coordinate them, anything that happens thereafter, President Jonathan should be held responsible, in fact he should be held responsible for the death of a protesters in Ilorin, Kwara State.