Subsidy Protest: Workers March to National Assembly 

*  Wabba: You can’t ask hungry Nigerians to have patience 

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja 

Thousands of workers today stormed the Unity Fountain area in Maitama from where they proceeded in solidarity march to the National Assembly to protest the harsh economic situation in the country brought about by the sudden removal of subsidy on the pump price of petrol. 

The protesting workers and their civil society allies gathered at the Unity Fountain as early as 7.30 am chanting solidarity songs. 

Heavy security deployment on the streets could not deter the protesters as they surged forward, marching to the legislative chambers.

Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: “Let’s Unite to Emancipate the People”; FG why Protect the Subsidy Criminals”; “Workers are dying from fuel price increase, inflation and Insecurity”; and “We are workers not slaves”.

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY, a former president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, who joined in the protest march, said the Federal Government is merely punishing Nigerians because they knew what will be the immediate impact of the subsidy removal and refused to take appropriate measures to cushion the effect before embarking on the policy.

According Wabba, it amounts to gross insensitivity for government to ask hungry, helpless and poor Nigerians to have patience under the prevailing hardship with no palliative on ground.

Details later…