Nigerian military forces share a joke while occupying the capital of Lagos. The Federal Government deployed troops to ban protests after a unilateral settlement was imposed on labor after a one week general strike., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Work resumes with soldiers still on Lagos roads
By Yinka Aderibigbe and Miriam Ndikanwu
Nigerian Nation
Businesses in Lagos State resumed yesterday following the suspension of the industrial action called by the organised Labour, even as the deployed soldiers still occupy streets and major highways.
Scores of the soldiers were seen at Ojuelegba, Oshodi, Dopemu, Fadeyi, Agege and on Ikorodu Road.
From Pen Cinema in Agege Local Government Area, to Ojodu Berger in Ojodu Local Government Area and other arrears, hordes of residents trooped to the streets to resume their various businesses.
Public and private schools which had been affected by the protest equally threw their gates open to returning pupils.
At Ojota, where the protest against petrol subsidy removal had been most effective and organised, soldiers were still occupying the area. They did not disturb residents from going about their normal businesses.
Also, thousands of workers in the state public service returned to the desks at the secretariat, Alausa.
The workers who arrived as early as 8am were excited about the resumption.
The Nation observed long queues at some filling stations, even as many product dealers shut their doors against consumers.
It was observed that only one filling station on Oworonshoki road dispensend products.
The situation was the same from Mile 2 on Lagos-Badagry Expressway to Okokomaiko, save for the Oando filling station at Fin-Niger Bus Stop which opened its gates for motorists. The attendants had not started selling as at 10.45am.
Effort to get the station managers’ comment on the situation was not successful. But while attendants claimed they had run out of stock and were expecting supplies.
“We don’t have fuel. We exhausted our stock during the strike”, they said.
Many motorists queuing up at the filling station in anticipation that sales would soon commence, blamed the government for not ensuring the availability of products before taking action.
Armed soldiers still on guard at Ojota
By Adebisi Onanuga
Nigerian Nation
The Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota was still under military siege yesterday. Armed soldiers were deployed to the park and other parts of the state on Monday by the Federal Government to stop the withdrawal of the subsidy on petrol.
The soldiers continued their occupation of the park, despite the outrage and condemnation that greeted the deployment of troops by well-meaning Nigerians, including Governor Babatunde Fashola, Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Governor Kayode Fayemi, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the civil society among others.
Four military vehicles including an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) were stationed at the Ojota exit of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, overlooking the Freedom Park, Another APC was stationed on top of the flyover near the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) yard, Ketu.
Though the six barricades mounted on the Ojota bridge and around the park have been dismantled, thus easing traffic in the area. The stop and search of the pedestrians had stopped. But stern-looking soldiers still kept eagle eyes on the vehicles moving along the roads.
Each of the APC had a soldier standing at alert behind a sub-machine gun with bullets mounted on it and pointing in the directions of Maryland and Ketu.
Business activities have resumed fully at the motor park adjacent to the Gani Fawehinmi Park.
Why we deployed soldiers in Lagos, by Defence minister
By Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja
Nigerian Nation
Soldiers will remain on the streets of Lagos, until the Federal Government is satisfied that normalcy has returned, Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed has said.
The minister spoke with reporters in his office yesterday.
He said the deployment of the soldiers was informed by security reports detailing plans by some unnamed persons and groups to hide under the protests “to cause anarchy and security breach.”
According to him, the groups wanted to unleash the kind of upheaval currently going on in Syria and other Arab countries, saying the Federal Government has the constitutional responsibility to forestall such actions.
He said: “We learnt through security reports that some people were trying to take over the protests to cause anarchy. Some of these people threatened to continue the protests, even if the organised labour decided to suspend the strike.
“From the reports available to government, these people were planning to ignite actions typical of what is going on in Syria and other Arab countries and there is no way any responsible government would fold its arms and watch some people destabilise any part of the country.
“The deployment of soldiers was meant to forestall anarchy so government stepped in to control the situation so that people with the wrong motives can be put in check. The soldiers will be withdrawn as soon as normalcy returns to the streets of Lagos and other parts of the country where soldiers are on such duties”
“Let me emphasise that under no circumstances will government stand aloof while some misguided elements unleash violence on the society. The administration is committed to promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliation.”
Mohammed said if soldiers were not deployed in Lagos and other parts of the Northeastern parts of the country, the nation would have been on fire by now, stressing that the Federal Government has been able to achieve some measure of success by confining the activities of the Boko Haram sect mainly to the northeastern part of the country.
The minister said the country has come out of the fuel subsidy protests stronger and more united with strong commitment to the growth, development and sustenance of democracy.
He assured that the Federal Government would continue to respect the rights of the Nigerians to express themselves within the confines of the law and in accordance with the dictates of the democratic space.
Lawyer criticises President over soldiers’ occupation of Lagos
By Olorunleke Akeredolu, Akure
Nigerian Nation
A RIGHTS activist, Mr. Morakinyo Ogele, yesterday expressed concern over the deployment of troops in some states, particularly Lagos.
He described the Federal Government’s action as an assault on democracy, saying President Goodluck Jonathan’s action calls for impeachment
Ogele urged the National Assembly to call the President to order, noting that he was already acting beyond the jurisdiction of the Constitution.
A statement by the activist and made available to The Nation in Akure, the Ondo Stste capital, said protest against any government policy is a legitimate right of the citizens.
He said: “It is now clear that Nigeria is being ruled by people who do not believe in democracy.
“Protest is a legitimate process of telling any ruling class that things are not well in the society. President Jonathan was brought to power through series of protests organised by civil society groups and some human rights activists such as Mr. Femi Falana.
“But today, soldiers have restricted the movement of these progressive-minded people. The President should be cautious in his act of breaching the provisions of our Constitution, which he has embarked upon on a daily basis.
“The occupation of Lagos is another way of telling Nigerians that we are under the rule of Assad, the President of Syria, who is daily killing Syrians through the occupation of their capital city by soldiers.
“President Jonathan cannot fight the people of this country through harassment, intimidation and get away with it. We are going to restrict his military dictatorship.”
Ogele, however, appealed to the President to revert petrol pump price to N65, saying the masses are not yet satisfied with the decision of the Federal Government on removal of fuel subsidy.
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