Below is a brief narrative on how the occupy kano protest began, what happened during the protest, and what we are doing in sustaining it to monday when the grand of all protest will be staged across the country.
THE BACKGROUND:
Sequel to the various news paper reports that PPPRA have formally announced fuel price hike from N65 to N144 resulting from the devilish and satanic fuel subsidy removal policy of Nigeria's Jonathan led FG, and also the report that kano SG supported the policy, and perhaps the subsequent adjustment of the prices by all the metropolitan filling stations including NNPC mega stations to the said price, the student union govts of the 16th higher institutions of learning across the state resolved to mobilized students and people from civil society to protest against the policy.
PROTESTANTS PROFILE:
The protestants are mostly students including those from secondary schools, members of civil society, and even lecturers from BUK and other higher institutions of learning.
OUR RESOLVED:
We all agreed to demonstrate peacefully and also to continue to sensitize whoever join the protest to behave peacefully. We used microphone to do that.
THE PROTEST:
It started last monday 1st of Jan along BUK road but police men prevent us from moving along the street. We later decided to meet the following day - tuesday, at gidan murtala so that we can move to the govt house kano.
DAY 2 OF THE PROTEST:
We met at gidan murtala and started moving to KNSG government house but were stopped from advancing beyond silver jubilee round about by a significant number of police men and vigilante holding guns and tear gases blocking the road with their vehicles. As a result, we resolved to remain there till FG and the state govt reverses their satanic policy. We then called the place liberation square.
We remained at the liberation square chanting anti subsidy removal songs and delivering lectures aimed at sensitizing our fellow protestants on the need for a peaceful protest.
ATTACK ON THE PROTESTANTS:
While some of us were sleeping on the road, others were doing night prayers at about 1:35 pm, the security personnels started shooting tear gas at the protestants and the vigilante were busy beating people with the aim of disrupting our peaceful protest. In response, the protestants also threw back the tear shot to them by the police. The face off lasted till about 3:30pm with many people injured, students vehicles destroyed, and an un confirmed report of the death of one of the protestant (I wasn't able to confirm coz I had to run away too).
THE ASUU INTERVENTION:
The academic staff union of nigerian universities decided to re mobilize students and CSOs for another peaceful protest to the office of kano state commissioner of police to express their dissatisfaction over what happened at the liberation square, and also to ask the police to repair the damaged vehicles, and released the arrested protestants. They informed him of the need to investigate over a report of the death of one of the protestants as a result of the attack, and that unless subsidy is removed, they will continue with their protest.
In response, the police commissioner assured them that the commission will repair the damaged vehicle and will released the arrested protestants. An investigation will also be done.
GESTURE FROM THE PUBLIC:
A lot of people from the public have made voluntary donations by providing breads, pure water and fuel to the protestants.
NLC SECRETARIAT:
After seeing the police commissioner, we march to the NLC secretarial to attend the planning meeting of the grand of all protest come monday. At the meeting, ASUU, NLC, NAKSS, SUGs, CSOs, and several other NLC affiliates were in attendants. Several committees were set up ahead of monday protest, and a motion was tabled on the need of continuing with our protest each day up to monday. The house unanimously approved it and NLC secretarial was also agreed to be the occupy kano secretarial.
NEXT STEP:
We are meeting today after juma'at mosque by 3pm at the NLC secretarial for continuation of the protest. We hope to continue meeting at NLC for the protest up to monday.
