PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Day 2 of fuel protests quieter, but Nigeria remains paralyzed (Update)
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - As the nation-wide strike to protest high fuel prices enters the second in Nigeria Tuesday, the country remains largely paralyzed, as public offices, businesses, schools and markets in major cities remain closed.
However, the situation is quieter on Tuesday than on Monday, when protesters took to the streets in at least 30 of the country's 36 state capitals in largely peaceful but noisy protests.
Isolated cases of violence occurred in the economic capital city of Lagos, the largest northern city of Kano and southern Benin city on Monday.
The police confirmed only two deaths (one each in Lagos and Kano), but the local Vanguard newspaper said a total of 12 persons died, including two in Lagos, three in Benin and seven in Kano.
On Tuesday, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna (northern political capital) and the capital city of Abuja, among others, remain largely shut down.
In the oil city of Port Harcourt, protesters marched to the Government House, where they were addressed by Gov. Rotimi Amaechi, who defended the government's decision to withdraw fuel subsidy.
In Kano, where youths clashed with policemen as they attempted to break into the Government House on Monday, the state Chairman of the umbrella Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alhaji Isa Yunusa Danguguwa, urged protesters to stay indoors instead of taking to the streets, in order to avoid a repeat of Monday's violence that also left over 30 injured, more than half
of them suffering gunshot wounds.
In Lagos, the streets and the roads were largely empty and the city of 15 million people paralyzed, while the air and sea ports remained closed.
But thousands of protesters have converged at the Gani Fawehinmi Park at Ojota, on the outskirts of the city, to continue their protests.
Popular musicians are entertaining the boisterous crowd, amid speeches and chanting of slogans, at the protest ground which has been turned to a carnival-like setting.
One of the organizers, Mr. Femi Falana, said the well-attended protests were the best organized in the country's history.
Public and private offices in Abuja also remained closed Tuesday, though a resident, Mr. Buki Ojo, said in a telephone interview that more people are beginning to come out of their homes.
In a statement late on Monday, the two main workers unions which called the strike to protest a 125% hike in fuel prices on 1 Jan., described the first day as a success and urged citizens to show their resolve by participating actively in the strike daily.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) also condemned the killing of unarmed Nigerians by the police, adding: “This mindless killing of unarmed Nigerians on a peaceful protest is strongly condemned, and the Inspector General of Police and
President Jonathan will be held responsible for these senseless deaths.”
The Lagos state police command spokesman, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said the officer who shot dead a young man in Lagos during Monday's protest in the city had been arrested and detained.
''Discreet investigations are ongoing and the outcome will be made known to the public,'' Mr. Jinadu said.
-0- PANA SEG 10Jan2012
However, the situation is quieter on Tuesday than on Monday, when protesters took to the streets in at least 30 of the country's 36 state capitals in largely peaceful but noisy protests.
Isolated cases of violence occurred in the economic capital city of Lagos, the largest northern city of Kano and southern Benin city on Monday.
The police confirmed only two deaths (one each in Lagos and Kano), but the local Vanguard newspaper said a total of 12 persons died, including two in Lagos, three in Benin and seven in Kano.
On Tuesday, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna (northern political capital) and the capital city of Abuja, among others, remain largely shut down.
In the oil city of Port Harcourt, protesters marched to the Government House, where they were addressed by Gov. Rotimi Amaechi, who defended the government's decision to withdraw fuel subsidy.
In Kano, where youths clashed with policemen as they attempted to break into the Government House on Monday, the state Chairman of the umbrella Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alhaji Isa Yunusa Danguguwa, urged protesters to stay indoors instead of taking to the streets, in order to avoid a repeat of Monday's violence that also left over 30 injured, more than half
of them suffering gunshot wounds.
In Lagos, the streets and the roads were largely empty and the city of 15 million people paralyzed, while the air and sea ports remained closed.
But thousands of protesters have converged at the Gani Fawehinmi Park at Ojota, on the outskirts of the city, to continue their protests.
Popular musicians are entertaining the boisterous crowd, amid speeches and chanting of slogans, at the protest ground which has been turned to a carnival-like setting.
One of the organizers, Mr. Femi Falana, said the well-attended protests were the best organized in the country's history.
Public and private offices in Abuja also remained closed Tuesday, though a resident, Mr. Buki Ojo, said in a telephone interview that more people are beginning to come out of their homes.
In a statement late on Monday, the two main workers unions which called the strike to protest a 125% hike in fuel prices on 1 Jan., described the first day as a success and urged citizens to show their resolve by participating actively in the strike daily.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) also condemned the killing of unarmed Nigerians by the police, adding: “This mindless killing of unarmed Nigerians on a peaceful protest is strongly condemned, and the Inspector General of Police and
President Jonathan will be held responsible for these senseless deaths.”
The Lagos state police command spokesman, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said the officer who shot dead a young man in Lagos during Monday's protest in the city had been arrested and detained.
''Discreet investigations are ongoing and the outcome will be made known to the public,'' Mr. Jinadu said.
-0- PANA SEG 10Jan2012
