Social Action Condemns Police Arrest Of Fuel Hike Protesters

Social Action comprising of various non-governmental organisations has called for urgent reversal of hike in fuel price, as it condemned police arrest of fuel price hike protesters.
In a statement signed by the Communications and Advocacy Manager of Social Action, Lilian Aikhigbe, and made available to The Tide, in Port Harcourt, the body averred that the fuel price hike was ill-timed and unwarranted.
It further said, “the organization, therefore, condemns the harassment and brutalisation of several civil society actors, students and journalists who were arrested by the Nigeria Police following a series of demonstrations across the country, against the petrol price and electricity tariff increment.”
The organisation maintained that it was within the rights of Nigerian citizens to publicly express displeasure with the insensitive policies of the government which were glaringly inimical to the wellbeing of the Nigerian masses.
“Most Nigerians are yet to recover from the economic downturn occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. Many lost their jobs or experienced a drastic drop in personal income, owing to the pandemic”, it said.
The body insisted that the price increment was, therefore, ill-timed and highly insensitive for the government to initiate policies that could bring more suffering upon the people, no matter the reasons proffered by the government as justification for the increment.
“We, therefore, strongly demand for a reversal of this anti-people policy which has already brought untold hardship to many Nigerians. We stand in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), students’ union bodies, Civil Society Organisations and the Nigerian masses to call for the immediate reversal of the fuel price increment and electricity tariff hike.
“We also call for an immediate end to the needless harassment of patriotic citizens protesting the hike in fuel and electricity costs, as it is undemocratic for such well-meaning citizens to be arrested on account of their legitimate stance against the suppressive and draconian policies of the government. Such arrests portray the Muhammadu Buhari-led government in bad light and the Nigerian Police ought to know that the people have the right to hold the government accountable by demanding for good governance and better standards of living,” it insisted.
The body urged the Federal Government to expedite action in revamping the moribund oil refineries in the country, and establish modular refineries as well.
“After several decades of importing refined petroleum products, it is high time the oil-rich nation, popularly referred to as the ‘giant’ of Africa, began to refine as much of its crude oil as is needed to meet local demand, rather than exporting it and placing the burden of these exports on the masses who are made to pay exorbitant prices to purchase the imported, refined products”, it added.

By: Kevin Nengia