Rivers filling stations vow to shun planned protest over fuel hike

Association of filling station owners in Rivers State have vowed to shun Tuesday’s organised labour strike in the state.

Chairman, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Francis Dimkpa, stated this in Port Harcourt on Monday following stakeholders’ meeting.

Dimkpa, urged all filling stations in the state to remain opened and attend to their customers.

He said, “The leadership of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria is not unaware of the news making the rounds concerning the proposed strike action by some labour organisations in Rivers State.

“For now, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria is not joining the strike action proposed for Rivers State, hence all filling stations are directed to remain open to attend to their customers and motorists.

The Chairman, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, said its decision followed the association’s executive meeting held in respect of the pending litigation concerning the planned strike.

“My executives have always believed in constructive engagement and have resolved to continue to engage relevant agencies as well as the government in this direction.

“We are also aware of the pending litigation concerning this issue, we shall continue to engage up to any level to ensure that our members do not in any way breach the law of the land.”

You may know that the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, and the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaus Adangor, had both disclosed that a National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos had stopped the Trade Union Congress and the Nigerian Labour Congress from engaging in industrial action in Rivers on Tuesday, pending the determination of a suit filed against the unions by the state government.

But the national and state leadership of labour had dismissed the court order, saying workers’ protest must go on as planned in the state, as the President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba in a statement, warned Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike against letting any harm befall any worker during the state protest.

Source: Today.ng

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and NAOSS are set to begin a Mass Protest tomorrow, Monday May 18th in Ogun state.

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has concluded plans for a state-wide protest on Monday in Ogun State over alleged incessant extra-judicial killings of students by the operatives of the State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The students said the seven-day ultimatum was earlier given to the Comptroller General of the NSC, Hameed Ali, to remove the Ogun State Controller, Michael Agbara expires on Monday, May 18, 2020

The protest is being organised by NANS in conjunction with the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS).

NANS and NAOSS in a statement jointly signed by the National Vice President of NANS, Comrade Ojo Raymond and the National President of NAOSS, Comrade Gbemileke Ogunronmbi and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday insisted that there was no going back on the planned protest.

The students alleged that there has been the incessant killing of residents of Ogun State border communities all in the name of fighting smugglers.

The statement read:

“We are embittered that since the issuance of the seven-day ultimatum given to the Comptroller General of the NSC, Hameed Ali to remove the Ogun State Controller, Michael Agbara, nothing has been done about this.

“In line with our earlier position, the national leadership of NANS is calling on all the students in Ogun State to be prepared for the planned protest to fight the injustice and inhumane treatment by the men of the Ogun Customs Service on them.

“We are calling on all students to come out and support this protest as it is the fight for the emancipation of Ogun students from the callous hands on the men of the Ogun Customs Service. This is a fight for liberation, the incessant killing our students must stop and nobody except us can fight for this.

“Ogun State Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Michael Agbara must not only be removed but he must also be made to face the crimes against humanity committed by his men under his watch.

“There is no going back on this protest. Nigerian students will occupy the Headquarters of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service until Agbara is removed.

“This protest is tagged Agbara Must Go! Agbara Must Face Criminal Against Humanity. Agbara Must Pay For The Blood of Every Student Killed Under his watch.

“We hereby urged every student in Ogun State to remain strong, resolute and committed to this course as victory is ours. Aluta Continua! Victoria Ascerta!”

COVID-19 patients in Gombe stage protest, block highway

Some COVID-19 patients at the Kwadon Isolation Centre, Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, have reportedly blocked the popular Gombe/Biu Road.

The patients were said to be protesting against government's negligence, inadequate food and medical attention in the isolation centre.

A resident of the community, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said,

“Yes, they have left the isolation center and are presently destroying people’s properties on the main highway. It’s so sad, what could have led these patients into protesting against the government? I think government is not being truthful.”

Also LIB reached out to the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Mary Malum, who confirmed the incident and said nomalcy has been restored to the area. She said it was just a minor issue.

''The area is calm now. There is no problem. It was a minor something, not serious. They have all gone back in. They have been taken back into the Isolation center where they were before'' she said.

Gombe State currently has 96 confirmed cases of Covid-19.