Are Nigerians Revolting?

Despite constant assurances by President Bola Tinubu and his supporters, Nigerians have continued to lament the hardship that followed the removal of Premium Motor Spirits (PMS) popularly called petrol. Since the removal of the subsidy on May 29, 2023, living has not been easy for most Nigerians as the prices of virtually all goods and services have skyrocketed. Since the development, the price of petrol has increased from around N200 per litre to between N600-N700 across the country.

The Renewed Hope that the Tinubu-led administration promised Nigerians before it was elected is gradually disappearing into thin air as the president’s economic policies and reforms have unarguably caused hardship for Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable ones.

The reality in Nigeria moments after Tinubu was sworn in is a 100 per cent or more hike in transport fares. Additionally, prices of other necessities like foodstuff, clothing, gadgets shot up. This, as expected, has made things uneasy for Nigerians who keep grieving over the state of the nation. AN24 recalls that the country has witnessed diverse crises over the last few weeks caused by the hardship.

In Benin City, the capital of Edo State, Civil Society groups under the aegis of the Edo Civil Society Organisations took to the streets to protest the hardship ushered in by the subsidy removal. The protesters walked through some major streets last week and condemned the increase and the high cost of governance in Nigeria.

Also, today (Monday) protesting workers in Oyo State locked the state secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital, to demand palliatives, upward review of pension allowances and payment of monies deducted from the salaries in the past.

The workers and pensioners were drawn from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and their affiliates.

Meanwhile, NLC has commenced mass mobilisation ahead of its planned nationwide protests scheduled to begin Wednesday to protest the hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal. Shunning subsequent meetings with the Federal Government, the union insisted on the Wednesday protests which will start by 7 am.

“There is nowhere in the world where the government leaves its citizens totally to the vagaries of the market without some measure of control and protection. The Federal Government should immediately deal decisively with the criminal content of subsidy instead of exposing ordinary citizens to avoidable pain and hardship,” NLC announced.

The pang of the hardship did not spare residents of Adamawa State as they attacked some warehouses in the state and looted stored food items. Over 200 tricycle vehicles loaded with grains and other items left the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) warehouse alone, on Sunday morning.

The breakdown of law and order has led the Governor of the state, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, to declare a 24-hour curfew. Sources confirmed that the sources claimed to be looking for palliatives to mitigate the effect of the hardship caused by the hike in fuel price and other commodities.

AN24 gathered that the Monday evening address by President Tinubu is not unconnected to the hardship in the country.

A business owner in Lagos, Segun Abejide, lamented that the hike in prices of things have disturbed his sales. Mr. Abejide noted that “the way the situation is going, people may be forced to leave their houses and revolt against the government. What is the government doing to bring peace?” Abejide inquired.