Photos of Slain Fuel Subsidy Removal Protester Samuel Ademola Abe who was sent to an untimely grave on January 9, 2012 by a police officer, finally laid to Rest and Immortalized on March 14th, 2012 at the Atan cemetery .
Showing posts with label fuel protester. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fuel protester. Show all posts
NBC threatens TVC over live coverage of Occupy Nigeria protests
The Nigerian Broadcast Commission has threatened to sanction a Lagos-based television station, TV Continental, for broadcasting the ongoing Occupy Nigeria protests live, in what appears an attempt to gag media organizations and curtail critical coverage of the ongoing protests against government’s cut on fuel subsidy.
In a letter to the station, the NBC warned it to stop live broadcasts of the nationwide protests or face sanctions. NBC is asking that TVC censor its broadcast to avoid the deep criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan by labour leaders and civil society activists.
Since Monday when organized labour began a crippling strike and massive protests demanding government to reverse fuel prices which doubled overnight January 1, TVC has consistently given live coverage to protest rallies and speeches delivered during the protests.
“They want us to censor what we air live,” an official of the TV told Premium Times. "They said we should be careful and professional in our coverage and that if we air caustic speeches against the President and the administration, we would face appropriate sanction."
The management of the organization however denied any wrongdoing, say they would continue with the live broadcasts of the protests.
Spokesperson of the NBC, Maimuna Jimada, could not be reached to comment for this story.
Since the commencement of rallies against the cut on fuel subsidy policy began on January 2, government-owned broadcast stations have tried to play down the protests.
Until Thursday morning when some protesters besieged the Nigerian Television Authority’s head office on the Island in Lagos, forcing the management to air clips from protests – in their presence – the station has largely ignored the huge demonstrations across the country and had concentrated on a massive propaganda campaign for government.
The protests, which have seen Nigerians question government’s ineptitude and lack of accountability before large crowds and streaming cameras, have polarized the Nigerian media along pro-government and pro-people lines.
Some protesters have branded the African Independent Television, AiT, an anti-people station, which has sided more with government in the current impasse. In anger, a group of protesters massed at the gate of the Alagbado headoffice of the station, throwing pebbles at its infrastructures to protest perceived pro-government reporting.
The protesters claim AIT has been pro-government and has not devoted equal amount of time to airing all sides to the crisis.
The commission say it will not hesitate to apply “necessary sanctions” if TVC persists with the live broadcasts.
Nigeria has a relatively free media freedom, enhanced by the extensive use of social media platforms, but the government still reserves a great control over the media through subtle cajoles and patronages.
Police ban bonfire, roadblocks
As the strike called by organised labour and civil society organisations enters its fifth day, the Police High Command, yesterday, banned the use of bonfire and road blocks by protesters, threatening to arrest anyone or group of persons who violated the directive.
This came as doctors have been advised to use their discretion to treat patients with bullet wounds before requesting for police report.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG, Administration, Mr Azubuiko Udah, who met with senior police officers, comprising Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos and various Commissioners of Police, heading police formations and departments in Lagos, said the ban became necessary as innocent civilians have had their valuables dispossessed by hoodlums, who use such means to carry out their nefarious activities.
He noted that, yesterday, the Third Mainland Bridge was barricaded by bandits, who posed as protesters, only to rob unsuspecting motorists who stopped on reaching the point. The swift arrival of policemen, however, sent them away.
Udah advised the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, to call their members to order.
Aside the attack on innocent Nigerians, Udah noted that bonfire was not only capable of destroying the road but could also destroy Federal Government’s facilities buried underground.
On the command’s position to the refusal by medical practitioners to treat patients with bullet wounds without police report, Udah said: “The doctor in question should use his discretion considering the patient’s state. He can start treatment on the patient while provision of police report is in progress.”
Udah frowned at the action of the DPO, who shot four persons on the first day of the on-going strike in Ogba, Lagos, saying findings would soon be made public.
Adding that a policeman was only allowed to open fire only when his life was in danger.
He said the DPO did not act on any directive from the Police High Command, adding that every police officer was briefed on how to comport himself prior to the strike.
Police save journalist from being set ablaze by hoodlums
Save for the timely intervention of policemen on patrol, a journalist, Mr Charles Akpan with Inspiration 32.5 FM would have been set ablaze, today, when a group of armed hoodlums intercepted him on his way to work.
Akpan, who narrated his ordeal to Vanguard, said the incident happened in the early hours of yesterday, at Jakande Estate, Lekki area of Lagos, when he ran into one of the many road blocks mounted by hoodlums under the guise of being fuel subsidy protesters.
He said: “The experience was indeed horrible. I thank God for sparing my life. I commend the timely intervention of the police, who saved me from their stronghold. I met several other road blocks from my residence in Ajah.
The road blocks mounted were about 100 metres away from each other. At one of the points, the hoodlums, who would not listen to me asked what I was doing on the road when I was supposed to be at home, if I was not a government’s agent.
“At that point, they demanded for my identity card when I told them I was journalist working for their interest as a patriotic Nigerian. But they later let me off after extorting me. I was not lucky enough when I got to Jakande Estate, Lekki Bus-stop. The boys there were violent and ordered me to step out of the car as they wouldn’t listen to my plea.
“One of them, suspected to be the leader of the group asked for a jar of petrol to be used to set me alight but at that point, the police patrol team raced to the scene and rescued me from their hands. I quickly sped off to the office in shock.”
Photos: Nigerian police removing remains after killing protester in Ibafo
A protester was killed in Iabfo during the #occupyNigeria protest in Ibafo yesterday.
The victim was in a 14-seater bus en route Ibafo when he was hit by the bullet from a policeman said to have been shooting randomly.
In this photo, you can see the Nigerian police taking his corpse away...wow! I hope this Government is seeing this?
PHOTO OF THE DAY!!!
Even 2 yr old Nigerian kids is protesting that is to show Nigerian re ready for this govt.
DPO Who Killed Protester Has Been Arrested And Detained
The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Pen Cinema Police Divisional Headquarters, Segun Fabunmi, has been arrested and detained on the orders of the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Yakubu Alkali.
NEWSMEN learnt that Alkali ordered the arrest of Fabunmi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, who allegedly shot dead Demola Aderinto, one of the youths playing football on a street at Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, during today’s nationwide protest against the fuel subsidy removal.
It was gathered this afternoon that Alkali ordered that the killer DPO be detained at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS cell in Ikeja pending the investigation of the incident.
The state Police Command spokesman, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, confirmed to NEWSMEN that the DPO has been arrested and is currently being interrogated over the incident.
The late Aderinto was playing football with some other young men when the DPO and his men stormed the area.
The DPO and his men allegedly shot into the air to disperse the harmless street footballers. But when they refused to be intimidated, the DPO and his men opened fire on them, killing Aderinto while three others were severely injured and were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Fabunmi and his men lied that they opened fire on the defenceless footballers because they attempted to disarm them.
Chairman Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State, Apostle Oloruntoba Oke, who visited the Pen Cinema Police Division demanded for justice, adding that the autopsy report on the deceased might confirm the police claim or otherwise.
He condemned the unwarranted attack on innocent citizens in the council area and called on the residents to be calm and not to allow the crises degenerate further.
7 feared dead, 30 injured in Kano
No fewer than five people were killed and more than 30 injured in Kano State on Monday when the security agencies allegedly opened fire on unarmed protesters protesting the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government.
Victims of the gunshots were said to be receiving treatment at various hospitals in the state.
At the Murtala Specialist Hospital, the Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, Kano chapter, Dr Daiyabu Alhaji told reporters that over 15 persons were placed on admission and were being treated of gunshot wounds.
At Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital , no fewer than 14 people were also placed on admission for medical attention for injuries sustained during the attack.
Addressing newsmen, the Executive Secretary, Red Cross Society of Nigeria in Kano, Musa Danladi Abdullahi stated that 14 people were brought to the Hospital midday, adding that seven of them were victims of gunshot.
Nine-year boy trampled to death during protests
At least five people were shot dead Monday during protests over an oil price hike while a nine-year boy was reportedly trampled to death by a crowd, officials and medical sources said.
Sixteen others suffered gunshot wounds, with most of the violence in the northern city of Kano, where police clashed with demonstrators.
The head of Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, said three people were shot dead in the economic capital Lagos while another was shot in Kano, where a boy also crushed to death in a stampede.
“My understanding is that the nine-year-old appears to have been trampled in what looks like a stampede in Kano,” he told AFP.
Earlier, a hospital source in Kano reported at least two dead — a 25-year-old and 27-year-old — from gunshot wounds, bringing the nationwide toll to up to six.
A union leader accused police of shooting dead a protester in Lagos. Police spokesman Samuel Jinadu confirmed the death and said an officer had been arrested.
Police fired tear gas and shot into the air as thousands of protesters converged on the governor’s office in Kano, the largest city in the north.
Clashes broke out with police who pushed the protestors back as they tried to enter the Kano governor’s office.
Protesters set two vans ablaze and also tried to torch the home of central bank governor Lamido Sanusi in Kano, but were stopped by police.
The office of the secretary of the state government — its highest administrative officer — was also set ablaze, causing serious damage.
The strike came after the government’s deeply controversial move to end fuel subsidies on January 1, which caused petrol prices to more than double in a country where most of the 160 million population lives on less than $2 a day.
PICTURE:83yr old Mama protesting in Kano
Even this old woman could not stand the hardship the federal govt is trying to impose on we Nigeria...