Protests and anger on Monday greeted Sunday’s announcement of the removal of subsidy on petrol by the Federal Government.
In Abuja, the Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and other parts of the country, Nigerians of diverse classes and economic status reacted angrily to the removal even as the price of petrol fluctuated between the N141 maximum price prescribed by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency and N200.
Starting from the morning on Monday, protesters gathered at the Eagle Square in the Federal Capital City to sign a register to reject the removal of subsidy and the consequent hardship. The protesters were mobilised by a group known as Nigeria Unite Against Subsidy Removal, led by a former member of the House of representatives, Dino Melaye.
Soldiers from the Presidential Villa under the command of the Commander of Brigade of Guards, Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, however, dispersed the protesters and arrested their leaders, including Melaye.
Others arrested with Melaye were a journalist with Daily Trust, Abdulwasiu Hassan; Eze Nwagwu, Mbasekei Obono, Nasiru Magaji and Kalid Ismail.
In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, students, under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students and National Association of Kwara State Students trooped out to protest the subsidy removal. Coordinated by the duo of Basambo Kabir and Akorede Kabir, the students said the fuel subsidy removal was an insensitive action by President Goodluck Jonathan and asked the Federal Government to reverse the removal
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