Zamfara youths protest removal of petroleum subsidy

Hundreds of aggrieved youth on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest against the removal of petroleum subsidy by the Federal Government, marching through major streets in Gusau.

The youth, who chanted slogans to condemn the measure, registered their protest at the Government House, the House of Assembly and the state Secretariat before armed policemen attempted to disperse them with tear gas.

The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Sanusi Rikiji, who received the protesters, assured them that the lawmakers would advise the government against taking unpopular decisions that would be against the interest of the masses.

A Spokesman of the youth, Mujibu Aliyu, told newsmen that the protest was to register their opposition to the removal of the subsidy.

He said government had, by the action, further compounded the economic crisis facing Nigerians, stressing that it was expected to take measures that would ameliorate poverty and not inflict more poverty on the suffering masses.

Meanwhile, residents of Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, have commenced panic buying of foodstuffs in anticipation of price hikes resulting from the fuel subsidy removal.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited Dutse market, reports that people were seen rushing food items such as rice, spaghetti, beans, tomatoes and groundnut, oil among others.

Some of the consumers told NAN that they were in the market to buy and stockpile all their needs in the event of price hikes.

Amina Uwa, a buyer, told NAN that she decided to do her shopping because of her expectation of an increase in the prices of foodstuffs.

She said that she had just bought a bag of rice, a carton of spaghetti and a basket of tomatoes.

“I have just purchased all that will take me for the next two months.”

“Thank God that we are in harmattan season; the tomatoes I bought will not spoil easily,” said another buyer.

Salisu Nura said he came shopping to avoid the price hikes that the fuel subsidy removal would trigger.

NAN reports that the popular Sahad Stores was jam-packed as buyers engaged in bulk purchases of commodities such as rice, spaghetti, indomie noodles and beverages.