NORTHERN ASSOCIATION THREATENS PROTEST, CONDEMNS FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL

A group under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Groups, on Wednesday, condemned the plan by the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy, threatening to mobilise the entire people of the region to resist it.

CNG said the plan by the government to increase the pump price of fuel to N340 per litre has continued to elicit varying reactions from Nigerians and civil society organisations.

Addressing journalists in Gombe at the end of their North East stakeholders meeting organised by the group, the North East coordinator of the coalition represented by the Taraba State coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, kicked against the planned increase in fuel price.

According to him, the promise to replace the oil subsidy with a payment of N5, 000 stipend each to 40 million citizens is impracticable, stressing that it is ill-intended, saying “even if it will be paid, it will benefit few Nigerians.”

The coalition explained that they would submit the copy of their resolution to the emir of Gombe Abubakar Shehu III to peruse, having held the meeting in his state.

Mohammed said, “The problems and sufferings in the North today without being compounded by a further hike in prices of essential commodities and mobility are traceable only to inept and insensitive leadership at the national and states level as well as the cowardice of other community and religious leaders who lack the courage to stand up to them in the interest of the people of the region and Nigeria.

“We resolved to join the move to sensitize all levels of northern society on their duty to support a prolonged and sustained resistance to force government to immediately rescind the implementation of this unpopular, corrupt and inhuman policy within the next four weeks or risk an unprecedented mass action and civil disobedience.”