Police Disrupt Protest In Minna Over Fuel Subsidy

[TGD]

 ATTEMPTS by some youths yesterday in  Minna, the Niger State capital to protest over the removal of the fuel subsidy met a brick wall as the police stopped the protesters from converging  at the polo ground.

The youths under the auspices of Minna Concern Residents however marched  through major streets in  Minna carrying placards with different inscriptions  condemning  the federal government removal of the fuel subsidy,

Some of the inscriptions read, "No to removal of fuel subsidy,' 'we will not agree to withdrawal of fuel subsidy."

 The protest march started from Kpagungu Model Primary School to Bida road, through Democracy Garden road heading towards Government House before the police stopped again

One of the protesting youth,  Gimba Kakanda said, they were on the street to protest peacefully over one of the most  unpopular policies of government as well as to  register their grievances for  government's insensitivity to plight of the citizens.

He added that they had written to the  police on Thursday seeking permission to embark on the rally but could not  get any  response from the police, hence their decision to go ahead and exercise their fundamental human right as enshrined in the constitution.

But in a swift reaction, the State's Commissioner of Police, Mallam Ibrahim Maishanu in an interview with The Guardian claimed that the protesters did obtain any permission from the police in respect of the protest

 The commissioner said the police had to stop  the protest because they were not formally informed, saying " There is no way that we can allow faceless groups to embark on any form of protest, particularly at this time of Boko Haram insurgency in the country".

He added that if the protesting youth had applied for permission with a clear identity, the police would have granted it  and that nobody would trample on their fundamental human rights and freedom in  registering their grievances peacefully against any government policy but that they must follow the normal procedure.

On the fate of those  allegedly arrested by the police, Maishanu said he was not aware of any arrest that was affected by the police during the protest.



The Guardian