Civil Rights Advocacy Group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has asked labour unions to call for strike over unilateral petrol subsidy removal by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration.
In a statement on Monday evening, HURIWA, described the announcement by the newly sworn in President of Nigeria to remove fuel subsidy as “inconsiderate, insensitive, irrational and reckless”.
The statement signed by the groups National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, asked the organised civil rights community and the Labour unions “to mobilise Nigerian workers and all proletarian people of Nigeria to embark on indefinite strike and Civil disobedience actions should President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not reverse his thoughtless irrational proposition to end the subsidy regime especially as inflation and poverty are tearing millions of Nigerians apart and sending many to their early graves due to intractable economic adversities.”
HURIWA also wondered why President Tinubu allowed “the discredited and Court sacked Inspector General of Police Alhaji Usman Baba Alkali to attend the sacred oath taking ceremony in Abuja.” saying it is “a desecration of the constitution and a very bad sign of how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may disrespect the rulings of courts of competent authority as recognised by section 6 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The rights group recalled that Justice Riman had in the suit marked FHC/AWK/CS/58/2023, made an order restraining Usman Alkali from further parading himself as the Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or exercising any form of command or control over the Nigeria Police Force.
It also recalled: “The court also granted an order mandating the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to immediately convene a meeting for members of the Nigeria Police Council for the purpose of appointing a new Inspector-General of Police capable of holding the office for the fixed term of four years unhindered by Section 18 (8) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 and also in line with the provision of Section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act.
“The removal order followed a suit filed by one Okechukwu Nwafor against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Usman Baba Alkali; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; and Nigeria Police Council, 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
