The headquarters of the protest in Nigeria, Ojota, Lagos State was avoided by the June 12 protesters on Wednesday.
The protesters had earlier converged at Ikeja under the bridge before moving to Allen with the aim to end the protest in Ojota.
After hours of waiting, The Guardian reached out to one of the leaders of the protesters, Comrade Femi Adeyeye of the Take It Back Movement; however, he did not give any reason why the protesters could not make it to Ojota.
Meanwhile, the protesters have presented a 12-point demand to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
They said since May 29, 2023, when President Tinubu removed fuel subsidy, Nigeria has been plunged into greater hardship and hunger.
They lamented that the prices of fuel, food, transport, electricity, school fees, and other basic amenities have gone up beyond what average Nigerians can afford.
They said that children are hungry and Nigerian youths are becoming criminals and prostitutes.
“As of May last year, Nigeria’s headline inflation stood at 22.41 per cent, a result of President Buhari’s dismal eight years’ rule.
“But by May this year, headline inflation had increased exponentially and now stands at 33.7 per cent, which is the highest in three decades. Food inflation stands at 40.5 per cent, the highest since 1996.
“Consequently, at least 31 million Nigerians are food insecure. Also, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, at least 63 per cent, that is, 133 million Nigerians, are facing multidimensional poverty.
“Since May 29 last year, thousands of workers now trek a portion of the distance it takes them to get to work and back in order to stretch their limited monthly income so it can last a few weeks. The same goes for students, traders, and artisans.
“Meanwhile, those who put us in this problem continue to feed fat. President Tinubu, the First Lady, and the First Son have turned Nigeria’s commonwealth into their private feeding bottle.
“The Governors, Senators, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly members are collecting fat salaries and allowances.
“Their friends like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, and others are also smiling to the bank. Yet they tell us to tighten our belts.
“Nigeria is in this mess today because of the terrible pro-market economic choices of President Tinubu.
“By removing fuel subsidy and raising fuel prices and by devaluing the Naira, President Tinubu plunged Nigeria’s economy into an unprecedented crisis.
“ Meanwhile, what the past year has shown is that these economic policies are not working and should be discarded.
“Sadly, instead of President Tinubu to eat the humble pie and admit his pro-market policies have failed, like drunk sailors, he and his economic team have decided to double down on the very same failed policies.”
In their demands, they asked the President to “end hardship and hunger. End to feed hike and that students loan not a grant. End insecurity, police brutality, and kidnapping. End force eviction and demolition.
“Reverse fuel price and electricity. An increase in the minimum wage to reflect the rate of inflation
“Place all political office holders on minimum wage. End security vote. “
They also demanded “a comprehensive social protection program for informal workers, free healthcare for vulnerable groups, the elderly over 65 years, children under 7 years, and pregnant women as well as contributory pensions for informal workers. End to attacks on press freedom. Release all political detainees including journalists and bloggers. Recall all victimised activists. Free all #EndSARS detainees.”
