Students and civil society groups, on Tuesday, took over the streets of Ibadan, Oyo State, in protest over the recent hike in petrol and electricity tariffs.
The students protested under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS).
They condemned the government’s decision to go ahead with the increases, stating that it is not in the best interest of Nigerians.
The students on a peaceful protest were armed with placards carrying various inscriptions expressing their frustration.
They called on the President Muhammadu Buhari government to revert the policies in the best interest of the country.
The protesters addressed the press at the Federal Secretariat, “We say no to fuel hike, we say no to increment in electricity tariff and other increments that affect Nigerian students and the masses.
“We have over 200 polytechnic campuses in Nigeria that are at home and angry that schools are closed,” a representative of polytechnic students, Olalere Opatunji, told Channels Television.
The Chairman, Joint Campus Committee of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mayowa Opakunle, pointed out that students are the end-recipient of the increases.
“We are putting it to the Federal Government to put in place, the total reversal of the electricity tariff bill and the increase in premium motor spirit.
“We students are the end recipients, the majority of us are affected because we do small scale businesses to put ourselves in school and so many things we do to make sure we work and not become hoodlums,” he stated.
Mr. Opakunle said that if a total reversal of these policies is not done soon, students across the country will shut down the economy.
“They should look into the total reversal of these policies that are against our survival and should consider us first before any action is taken. If eventually nothing is done, then we have a total shutdown of the economy.”
Protest rocks Ibadan over increase in fuel, electricity tariffs @MBuhari @OfficialAPCNg @OfficialPDPNig @ProfOsinbajo @atiku pic.twitter.com/9RX62HpaOe
— Nwachukwu John Owen (@johnowen99) September 8, 2020
