Security agents comprising police, Department of State Security and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have stopped some Nigerians from staging a protest against the increase in the prices of petrol, electricity and Value Added Tax in the country.
The protest led by a civil society organisation, Joint Action Forum, started as a rally in front of the premises of the Nigerian Union of Journalists along Farm Center Road on Tuesday morning amidst heavy security presence.
In a statement by Chairman of the group, Dr Musa Bashir, and the Secretary, Abba Bello Ahmed, the Joint Action Forum called on the Nigerian Government to reverse the price of fuel from N160 to N86 and also the increase of electricity tariff and Value Added Tax.
“Immediate and unconditional reversal of the hike in petrol price from the current N160 to N86 price of 2012, and reversal of the increase in electricity tariffs and VAT.
“The government has the responsibility to make our refineries work and build new ones in order to ensure availability of petroleum products at cheaper and affordable prices.
“Re-engineering of the security apparatus to ensure organised crimes such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery are reduced to the barest minimum is curtailed.”
The protesters called on organised labour to ensure that the agreed minimum wage of N30,000 was implemented in the country.
