Fresh protests rock Suleja and Kogi over economic hardship as court gives Tinubu 7 days to fix price of goods.
Protest on economic hardship
A renewed wave of protests has erupted in Suleja, the commercial hub of Niger State, located just a few kilometers away from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
This is even as some Nigerians, mostly women, in Kogi State took to the streets in their numbers to protest the harsh economic reality of the country.
The protesters expressed their discontent on Wednesday and called on the government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the escalating hardship and unbearable inflation they are experiencing.
Photographs from the processions captured the scenes of the ongoing protests, where citizens are demanding urgent actions to alleviate their economic struggles.
A witness reported, “There is a protest ongoing at the Suleja local government area of Niger State. They are calling on Tinubu to end the hardship the masses are suffering on a daily basis in the country.”
Similarly, market women and men who protested in the streets of Lokoja, the state capital, lamented the ever increasing prices of essential commodities and how it has affected patronage of their businesses.
The traders closed their shops as they no longer got patronage due to the high cost of commodities.
A protester, Mrs Ladi who deals in rice and beans, said the astronomical increase in the cost of the commodities had affected her business capital as she has continued to record low sales.
Mrs. Ladi, who lamented that she could hardly make profit after trading was quoted as saying that: “Mudu of rice which was selling for N800 now cost N1,700. This is because a bag of rice which cost N35,000 has now increased to N65,000. With this, we cannot make our own profit.
This comes on the heels of similar demonstrations in Minna, the capital of Niger State, where hundreds of men, women, and youths expressed their grievances against rising inflation.
The protesters in Minna had lamented the soaring prices of essential commodities, including gas and fuel, and blocked major roads as they decried the lack of government intervention to mitigate the economic challenges.
Videos from the earlier protests showed impassioned demonstrators chanting protest songs, while law enforcement agencies, including the police, observed the unfolding events.
In response to the public outcry, Yakubu Garba, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, acknowledged the pain and hardship faced by families in the country.
He assured the protesters that the government is actively working to reduce the cost of living and address the economic implications of the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the federal government to fix the prices of goods and petroleum products, within seven days.
The court ordered the Federal Government to fix the price of Milk, Flour, salt, sugar, bicycles and its spare parts, matches, motorcycles and its spare parts, motor vehicles and its spare parts, as well as Petroleum products, which include diesel, premium motor spirit (PMS) and kerosene.
“I have had the applicant, Femi Falana (SAN), in a suit no, FHC/L/CS/869/2023 and I have also discovered that despite the service of the Originating motion on the respondents, namely Attorney-General of the Federation and the Price Control Board, no opposition to it by way of counter affidavit, which is law that all the facts deposed in the affidavit attached to the originating motion are all deemed admitted.
“Consequently, all prayers that are sought for in the motion papers are hereby granted as prayed”, Justice Ambose Lewis-Allagoa declared on Wednesday, while ruling on an originating motion filed by human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN).
Falana (SAN) had approached the court, seeking “whether by virtue of Section 4 of the Price Control Act., the first defendant is carrying out its duty to impose a price on any goods that are of the kind specified in the First Schedule to the Price Control Act.
“A declaration that by virtue of Section 4 of the Price Control Act Cap, the defendants are under a legal obligation to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts; flour; matches; milk; motorcycles and spare parts; motor vehicles and spare parts; salt; sugar and petroleum products including diesel, premium motor spirit and kerosene.
“A declaration that the failure or refusal of the Defendants to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts; flour; matches; milk; motorcycles and spare parts; motor vehicles and spare parts; salt; sugar and petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit and kerosene is illegal as it offends the provision of Section 4 of the Price Control Act, Cap…., Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“An order directing the defendants to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts; flour; matches; milk; motorcycles and spare parts; motor vehicles and spare parts; salt; sugar and petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit and kerosene not later than 7 days after the delivery of the Judgement of this Honourable Court.”
