I slept with 400 men in five months – 22-year -old trafficking victim

A human trafficking victim, Love John, says she slept with more than 400 men in less than five months in the Sango Ota area of Ogun State.

Love, 22, and her 23-year-old sister, Happiness, were lured into prostitution sometime in January by their eldest sister, Mary.

Mary also tricked a cousin, Joy Lawrence, 25, promising the three ladies that she could give them jobs that would help them make a decent living.

However, by the time they discovered that they had been trafficked, the victims said they had become trapped.

 Lawrence and another victim fled the hotel on Monday when they could no longer bear the pain they were subjected to.

Lawrence was reported to have been brought to the Lagos zonal headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service, which then stormed the hotel and rescued other victims.

The agency also arrested Mary and the owner of the hotel, one Mrs. Akpojaro Rose, an indigene of Warri, Delta State.

It was learnt that the ladies collected between N500 and N700 per sex, paid N200 per day for hotel rates, and made about N340,000 in savings within the period.

Narrating her ordeal, Love told our correspondent she did not have any formal education because their father died when they were toddlers.

She explained that her sister lured her into prostitution, saying she slept with an average of four men a day.

She said, “I was learning tailoring in the village. My sister told me she could help me get a job in Lagos; she didn’t tell me that it was prostitution I was coming to do. After we got to Lagos, she said we should do this (prostitution) job so we can make money to be able to finish my craft as a tailor. I sleep with about four men in a day and each of them pay me at least N500.”

Her elder sister, Happiness, also said she was not aware she had been trafficked until she arrived in Lagos and was introduced to prostitution.

“I didn’t go to school and I have not learnt any trade. I came to Lagos a few months ago. My sister didn’t tell me this was what I was coming to do in Lagos. She said it was a good job,” she said.

Lawrence, who fled the hotel on Monday, said she was told she would be trading when she left their hometown in Ogoja, Cross River State.

“I ran away because I didn’t like the work. I don’t want to do it again. I never knew this was the job,” the victim said.

But Mary said she did not want to bring her relatives into the trade, adding that she gave in to pressure when they kept asking her to take them to Lagos.

She said, “I came to Lagos with a friend in 2014 and my friend introduced me to this job. We were first using a hotel called Happiness Hotel before we moved to Morning Star Hotel in Sango Ota.

“When I travelled to the village, my sisters started disturbing me that they wanted to follow me to Lagos to go and work.

“When they continued to disturb me, I decided to take them with me; but I didn’t tell them I was into prostitution. I told my mother I was working in a beer parlour.

“Each of us makes N2,500 to N3,000 daily. We sleep with an average of three to four men and they pay between N500 and N700.”

The 32-year-old said from January till May 16 when they were arrested, she had saved N340,000 for the three girls.

She, however, alleged that the hotel was raided by some policemen from the Sango Ota division, whom they settled with N150,000.

The owner of the hotel, Rose, told PUNCH Metro  that she gave out rooms to the girls at the rate of N200 per day.

“I warned Mary that the girls were too young, but she didn’t listen to me. I have 15 rooms in my hotel and I have seven girls, who were paying me N200 every day. If I had children of their age, I will not allow them do this,” she said.

The Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, Musa Maza, who handed over the victims to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters, said the suspects would be prosecuted at the end of investigations.

He said, “This is a human trafficking case in the form of enslavement and prostitution. The victims were forced into sex against their wish. Two of them actually escaped. The whereabouts of one is unknown, but the second victim contacted someone who brought her to the immigration office.

“Parents should be vigilant and wary of those who come for their children asking them to be released in search of greener pastures. We are handing them over to NAPTIP for prosecution. We believe this will serve as a deterrent to those that will want to engage in this useless business.”

First Chibok Girl Rescued, Six Reported Dead

ina Ali Mkeki, one of the Chibok girls infamously kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 has been rescued near Sambisa Forest, government sources and activists have told SaharaReporters.

Amina was found in the Kulakeita area in the company of her Boko Haram husband, and was immediately rescued by vigilantes who handed her over to Nigerian troops in Damboa.

She reportedly told the soldiers that six of the girls have died, while the others have been married off to Boko Haram commanders, and that they were all still in Sambisa Forest as of the time of her rescue.

Our sources say Amina was breastfeeding a baby during her rescue, but it was not immediately clear if the Boko Haram commander caught with her was the father of the baby.

Confirming the development, the Nigerian military said in a text message by Col. SK Usman to SaharaReporters that "Falmata Mbalala" was rescued by Nigerian troops. 

SaharaReporters has confirmed that Amina is from Mbalala community, near Chibok.

The rescued girls is currently in transit on her way to Maiduguri the Borno state capital where the state governor is expected to receive her from Nigerian troops.Chibok girls captured by Boko HaramChibok High school girls are still missing

How we uncovered Saraki’s N375m London property – Witness

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki at Code of Conduct Tribunal

The first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Michael Wetkas, continued his testimony on Wednesday, giving details of how his investigative team uncovered a property in London owned by Saraki.

Wetkas, who said he led a team which investigated intelligence reports leading to the charges preferred against Saraki, is a detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

He said under cross-examination by defence lawyer, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), on Wednesday, that the London property was acquired by Saraki  in 2010 but was not declared in his asset declaration form which he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau after completing his second term as the governor of Kwara State in 2011.

He said Saraki obtained N375m loan from the Guaranty Trust Bank Plc in 2010 and used it to pay for the London property through a mortgage redemption payment system.

He said there was debit entry of $1.2m on the dollar account in favour of the pounds sterling account on February 10, 2010 and $1m on February 15, 2010.

He alleged that as contained in Count 11 in the charges preferred against the Senate President, the defendant failed to declare in his asset declaration form which he submitted to the CCB in 2011, the N375m loan as his liability and the property which he allegedly used the proceeds of the loan to buy.

Wetkas, who was led by Usoro to read from Saraki’s statements of  account with GTB, traced the movement of the loan disbursed in Saraki’s naira account with its dollar equivalent transferred to his dollar account and finally its pounds sterling equivalent transferred to Saraki’s pounds sterling account.

He said foreign investigative partners “unofficially” disclosed the address of the property as No 8 Whittaker Street, London and that it had a title number NGN802235.

He said the foreign partners also disclosed “unofficially” that Saraki acquired another property with title number NGN 802661at No 7 of the same street in London in 2015.

According to him, his team of investigators, discovered Saraki’s  reason for obtaining the loan in the letter by the GTB offering the N370m loan to the Senate President.

He also said the telex message also revealed that the transfer was for the purchase of a property.

He said, “From the loan document attached to Exhibit 7, you will see the offer letter. It was stated in the offer letter that the loan was for the purchase of property in London.

“We got to be convinced when we saw the telex showing that the money was wired for property; the mortgage redemption was for property. We were convinced based on the offer letter and the remittances shown on the telex.”

He confirmed that the three telexes showing the actual transfer from the pounds sterling account of the Senate President were prepared by the GTB.

He also confirmed that the telex messages only talked about mortgage redemption.

Responding to further questions put to him by Usoro, Wetkas confirmed that “mortgage redemption means money is being refunded for facility that would have been provided for the property.”

He confirmed that he had “little knowledge” about mortgage issues, but he said he knew that mortgage agreement “usually have their terms, the property involved and the person who has the property.”

On why he did not get details and the mortgage agreement on the London property, Wetkas said GTB officials claimed that Saraki did not disclose the details to the bank.

He also said he did not have the title document for the property.

The witness said apart from the telex messages and the offer letter for the loan, he did not have any other document linking Saraki to the said property.

He also said he did not question Saraki on the details of the property during investigation and did not see the mortgage agreement.

He added, “We contacted our foreign partners to help us find out about the  properties the defendant bought in London between 2010 a 2015.

“They confirmed to us that the defendant  bought two properties – one in 2011 and the other in 2015.

“They told us No 8 Whittaker Street, London, with title number NGN802235 was purchased in 2011 and that the second one with title number NGN 802661 which was at No. 7 of the same street was bought in 2015.

“This information was sent to us unofficially. And they promised to send it to us officially soon so that we can tender it.”

He explained that given the international dimension to the case, they needed to go through the governments of the relevant nations before information could be officially obtained from foreign partners.

Usoro also questioned Wetkas on Count 5, in which Saraki was accused of failing to declare his property at  37 A Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and the alleged annual income of N5.5m on the asset.

He said his team discovered that the property was acquired by Saraki through his company, Carlisle Properties Limited while executing a search warrant on the company’s office.

The trial was adjourned till May 25 for further cross-examination of the witness.

‘Farouk Lawan was caught on video collecting $500,000 from Otedola’

Farouk Lawan

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja was yesterday told by a witness that former Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Farouk Lawan, was caught on video receiving $500,000 from Femi Otedola.

The second witness, David Igbodo, who is the Commissioner of Police, Legal Services and Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Special Investigation Unit told the court that Lawan was caught on video due to a sting operation by the Department of State Security (DSS).

Testifying before Justice Angela Otaluka, Igbodo said after Lawan had collected the $500,000 at the house of Femi Otedola on April 24, 2012, he proceeded to the House of Representatives and removed the name of Zenon Oil that was earlier indicted in a report before the ad hoc committee.

The witness said: “I found out that on April 24, 2012 about 3:47a.m., the defendant was in the house of Otedola and was given the sum of $500, 000 and was caught on video due to the sting operation by the DSS.

“The purpose of the demand and acceptance was to remove the name of Zenon Oil and AP Petroleum from the list of indicted companies.”
Following the case of alleged bribery against Lawan by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Lawan and one Boniface Emenalo are standing trial before Justice Angela Otaluka on a seven-count criminal charge bordering on obtaining $620,000 from Otedola in order to doctor the committee’s report in favour of Zenon Oil and Gas Limited.

During examination by the Prosecution counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, the witness further told the court that “On the same April 24, 2012, the defendant, after collecting the sum at the house of Otedola, crossed the name of Zenon Oil earlier indicted in a report before the committee at the House of Representatives.”

Igbodo further said: “The defendant (Lawan) admitted collecting the $500, 000. He admitted he went to the house of Femi Otedola and collected the sum of $500,000, and crossed the name of Zenon from the list.”

The witness also told the court that Lawan admitted collecting the money and said he gave it to another honourable member named Adams Jagaba, chairman House of Representatives Committee on Narcotics and Financial Crimes.

Jagaba was said to have, however, denied ever receiving the $500,000 from Lawan and equally denied that any letter was written to him in respect of the collection.

The witness told the court that he found out that the defendant, after collecting the money which was caught on video, did not report the collection to any security agency either before or after collecting the money. According to Igbodo, Lawan had rather gone straight to the House of Representatives.

The police chief said a search was conducted on the house of Jagaba but no money was found. At this point, a copy of the search warrant was presented before the court.

Igbodo said he found out that after the defendant had collected the $500,000 in the early morning of April 24, 2012 which was five days later, he went to the chairman of EFCC and reported that some marketers were offering him a planeload of dollars. He, however, said Farouk failed to inform the EFCC that he had earlier collected $500,000 from Otedola.

According to the witness, Lawan had said that the EFCC asked him to come back if any attempt was made to give him the planeload of dollars.
David also told the court that his findings revealed that the first prosecution witness, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, who was Secretary to the ad hoc committee on fuel subsidy, had also visited the house of Mr. Femi Otedola on April 24, 2012 at about 9:10a.m. and was caught on video collecting $100,000. I found out that the $100,000 he collected from Otedola was given to the defendant,” he said.

Igbodo also told the court that he found out that the defendant could not refund the sum of $600,000 made up of the $500,000 earlier collected and the $100,000 collected through Emenalo when the police demanded it from him, even though he had made an undertaking to produce it.

“In search for the $600,000, a search was conducted in the house of the defendant on June 15, 2012 where the sum of $10,000 only was recovered,” Igbodo said.

The Criminal Form D Search Warrant used to conduct a search on the house of the defendant where the said $10,000 was recovered, and a diplomatic passport issued on April 24, 2009 (though expired as at 2014), were tendered before the court.

But when the $10,000 obtained during the search was tendered, defence counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), objected to its admissibility, arguing that the $100,000 has nothing to do with the weight attached to it. Ozekhome also argued that the prosecution had not shown from what custody the money had emerged.Awomolo, at this juncture, applied for withdrawal of the money, stating that the defence counsel was going to waste time.

Ozekhome said it was too late to withdraw the money as issues had already been joined to it. Awomolo, however, argued that issues would have been joined if he had replied and on point of law.

Justice Otaluka, after admitting the diplomatic passport and the search warrant document as exhibits PWD2D and PWD2E respectively, ruled against the admissibility of the $10,000.

Statements of the witness with the EFCC dated June 20, June 15, June 20, July 11, July 16, July 19 and September 25 were admitted into evidence as Exhibits G, H, J, K, L, L (1), and M respectively.

Ozekhome had earlier prayed the court for adjournment for adequate time and facilities to enable him to properly prepare his defence, which was not granted.Adjournment was, however, granted after Awomolo had prayed the court for it.Justice Angela Otaluka therefore granted adjournment for May 30, 2016.

FG to propose N45,000 wage, meets labour today

• Workers to reject downsizing of public work force

• Fuel scarcity persists despite price hike

• Naira may exchange for N283 to dollar

Three days to the threatened mass action against government’s increase in the price of petrol, indications emerged yesterday that the Federal Government would meet organised labour today in Abuja over the issue, dangling a carrot before labour leaders.

The Guardian learnt that at the meeting slated for 3:00 p.m. at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Federal Government will be coming to the parley with the proposal for a new minimum wage that is fixed at N45, 000.But the increase comes with some provisos including reduction in the number of civil servants and merging ministries and agencies.

Indeed, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba confirmed the scheduled meeting saying he got a text message inviting him and other labour leaders to the meeting.

A source in the Presidency told The Guardian that ministers had been told to lead the initiative on the downsizing.Also, the Efficiency Unit in the Federal Ministry of Finance, which is saddled with coming up with cost reduction strategies is working on the template for the reduction.

The Federal Government would also be relying on the report of the Steve Oronsaiye’s panel on the rationalisation of the civil service in the streamlining process.

It was also learnt that though government said it would not devalue the naira, it would indeed embark on what it termed ‘appropriate’ value of the national currency, which may be in the region of N283 to the dollar.

Meanwhile, fuel scarcity persisted in most of the major cities of the country yesterday despite hopes that petrol would be available since government at the last Federal Executive Council meeting raised the pump price of petrol to N145 per litre.Yet, some outlets are retailing for as high as between N150 and N175 per litre.

A visit to some areas in Lagos showed that most petrol stations were under lock and key, with only one or two selling the product for N145 per litre.

In a related development, the Arewa Defence League (ADL) has called on Nigerians to stand by the current administration over the recent increase in pump price of petrol, saying the increase is not meant to worsen the sufferings of the masses but aimed at ensuring availability and sustainability of the product.

But the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, berated the government that promised to create jobs but was now tinkering with the idea of embarking on one of the most massive job losses Nigeria has every witnessed.

He added: “We cannot be talking about creating jobs and at the same time be talking about mass sacking of workers. This is a government that promised jobs and now, it wants to embark on mass sacking of workers. It is difficult to reconcile the two extreme ends. We will not accept any proposal for job cuts if put across to us.”

Wabba pointed out that the challenge of retrenching workers has always been that government at all levels has failed to make provision for payment of entitlements.

He explained: “Well, every employment has terms of agreement. Nobody can force any worker on an employer and no employer can insist a worker works for him. But very importantly is the fact that exit strategies must be in place for painless exit. The problem over the years has been that government disengages people without preparing for the payment of their gratuities and pension. I believe there are many employees that will be happy to leave today if all their entitlements are ready.”

While hinting that while the labour centre and their civil society allies are ready to come to the negotiation table, he explained that the issue at stake is far more germane than price increase.

He said: “I must say that the issues are beyond the price increase and dollar exchange rate. The issues are about the totality of the corruption that has characterised the downstream sector for many decades. Simply pegging the exchange at some N285 or so will not address the problem. It is a simple matter that if the demand outstrips the supply end, the price of the dollar will increase and Nigerians will continually pay for petrol. So, there would be no to price increments if the fundamentals are not discussed.”

Wabba said while labour is open-minded about all the issues, it will push for solving the challenges with timelines that would be respected.

“Just increasing the price is taking the easy way out. This is because, as the President and Dr. Kachikwu have observed in the past, what has held the downstream sector down is corruption especially as it concerns the landing costs. What government is trying to do now is transferring the burden to the Nigerian people. What government needs to do is to find the right mix to put an end to the quagmire.”

Long queues have remained at filling stations, including at the popular NNPC mega stations which offered Nigerians some respite before the increase.Black marketers were also in active business, with some selling at N350 per litre.

Besides, with the upward review of the Price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol from N86.50 to maximum of N145 per litre (about $0.73), the cost of petrol in Nigeria is about the lowest in Africa and among some oil producing countries.

Data obtained from GlobalPetrolPrices, which was updated at the weekend, showed petrol in Chad costs $0.78 per litre; Togo, $0.80 per litre;  Kenya, $0.81 per litre; South Africa, $0.84 a litre; $0.85 a litre; Niger, $0,90; Ghana, $0.92; Sierra Leone, $0.94; Uganda, $0.97 and Angola, $1.00 per litre.

Also, in Rwanda, Mali, Malawi, Guinea, a litre of petrol sells for $1.15, $1.15; $1.17; $1.17 respectively, which are far higher than the price in Nigeria.

Long queues have remained at filling stations, particularly at the popular NNPC mega stations which offered Nigerians some respite before the increase.Black marketers were also in active business, with some selling at N350 per litre.

Attendants at one of the filling stations along Oshodi -Apapa Expressway, Lagos told The Guardian yesterday the retail station had already run out of the commodity before the announcement of the new price regime.

Experts believed that the recent hike in the price of fuel would lead to hardship and have therefore urged government to initiate measures to ameliorate the effects on the economy.

A Head of the Department of Petroleum Engineering and the Deputy Director, Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics & Law. Dr. Olugbenga Falode, told The Guardian that this is because whatever happens in the oil sector affects all other sectors of the economy and by implication, it affects the macro-economic policies of the country.

Also, a Professor of Technology Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Francis Eniterai Ogbimi, said that mere adoption of deregulation and privatisation cannot build refineries and increase refining crude petroleum. Increased production is the solution to low supply, not the adoption of ideologies like capitalism deregulation, privatisation, liberalisation, socialism or communism, he said.

According to him, only seven per cent of the nations in the world practise full deregulation of the sale of petrol, adding that the United States does not practise full deregulation as the American government controls the price of petrol.

Lagos officially oil producing state

With the commencement of crude oil production in Badagry Local Government by

 Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Co. Ltd and by the virtue of the provision of Section 162, Sub-Section 2 of Nigerian Constitution, Lagos State has become an oil producing State.


The declaration was made in Lagos on Monday by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode when the management of the company led by the Group Managing Director, Mr Tunde Folawiyo paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House.


“Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Co. Ltd (YFP) is pleased to announce that it has commenced production of crude oil from its Aje field located in block OML 113 offshore Lagos,” the company said on Monday, May 3, 2016.


The Aje oil field lies 25 km from the coast in western Nigeria, on the border with Benin. It is situated 64 km from Lagos and is 12 kilometres away from the West Africa Gas Pipeline (12 km away).


It is located in the Dahomey Embayment of southwestern Nigeria, which is the eastern end of the Cretaceous Benin Basin of West Africa. Water depth across the field ranges from 99 metres to over 1,500 metres. The field is estimated to be one of the largest oil fields in Nigeria outside the Niger Delta basin.


Production began after more than 25 years of exploratory, appraisal and developmental activities in the field, making Lagos an oil-producing state.


Ambode lauded the company for its doggedness to achieve the feat after 25 years of hard work


He declared, “I want to thank you very much for this and I say it with all conviction because I know that based on section 162 Sub-Section 2 of the Nigeria Constitution, Lagos becomes an oil-producing state and by virtue of this, the 13 percent derivation that is due to oil producing states, Lagos will start to partake from it by your very good gesture. So we officially declare Lagos State as an oil producing state, we also notify the Federal Government by this action that we would be sharing out of the 13 percent derivation. So all we need do is to apply and then we join.”


The governor also said that the feat has not only placed Lagos in the history books as the first state outside the Niger Delta to become an oil-producing State but has also opened up a new page for revenue generation in the State.


“It also means that by the additional revenue that is coming from this action, we would have more resources to provide infrastructure for Lagosians and this is what we want other investors and businessmen to emulate, so that beyond the issue of profit, you are actually creating impact on people without them necessarily knowing that it is actually coming from a venture like this that you have embarked on,” he said.

Nigeria Labor Congress Orders Buhari To Reverse Pump Price In 3 Days Or Face Indefinite Strike

The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) has ordered the federal government to revert to the original price of petrol by Tuesday next week or face indefinite strike from workers. Addressing the press after it's National Working Committee meeting in Abuja today, NLC leaders also urged asks Nigerians to stockpile food ahead of the protest against fuel subsidy removal.

The emergency meeting debated extensively the implications of government's unilateral increase in prices of petroleum products, noting government's disinclination for consultation on issues of public interest and its obsession with protecting product marketers at the expense of the Nigerian public. The meeting expressed concern about government's neo-liberal policies which it considered a betrayal of its electioneering promises and observed  as follows:

During the electioneering campaign last year, the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ),  Muhammadu  Buhari, had promised  that, if elected president, he would not remove fuel subsidy if there was any at all;

After his election, President Muhammadu Buhari had maintained that there was no subsidy in the petroleum product price regime and that  even if there was, he did not see how its removal would be beneficial to  the ordinary Nigerian, noting that the slightest product price adjustment often leads to inflationary spiral and unimaginable suffering for the people;

On January 18, 2016, the government further allayed the fears of the Nigerian people by  reducing the pump price of PMS to N86:50, explaining that the reduction was in furtherance of the implementation of the revised component of the Petroleum Products Pricing for PMS and kerosene;

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu had been speaking from both sides of his mouth. Whereas last year, he had strongly canvassed for the removal of "subsidy" in defiance of President Buhari, about a month ago, he claimed the subsidy had been removed through his ingenuity and that Nigeria was saving  $1billion from this process;

Organized Labour wondered what has informed government's sudden and dangerous policy summersault and its desperate attempt to convince the public that Labour was part of the decision that led to this price increase;

In view of the fact that the  board of the Petroleum Products Pricing  Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), which is statutorily vested with powers  to recommend prices,  has not been reconstituted, the price variation  announced by any officer of the agency  or outside the agency is  not only ultra vires and illegal, it is a criminal imposition on the citizenry;

The price hike from N86:50 to N145,  representing 67.63% increase, is the height of  insensitivity and impunity as there  was no previous consultation with stake holders, especially the organized labour,  or any justification for this reckless decision other than the fact that government believes it is accountable to no one;

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources declared that marketers will have to source their dollars from the secondary market. The attendant pressure on the dollar will lead to an unimaginable rise in prices of commodities and other services thus creating further hardship for the people. Due to the volatility of the black market, organized labour doubts that government would be able to maintain PMS pump price at N145 per litre were the hike acceptable or justifiable. At the time the PMS pump price was fixed at N145, the exchange rate at the black market was N320 to the Naira. Between Wednesday and today when the new pump price was announced,  the Naira has further crashed against the dollar, first to N340 on Thursday,  then N365 on Friday morning and N385 by close of business on Friday, all in 48 hours! At this rate, we believe it will not take long before the Naira becomes entirely useless against the dollar. It is thus morally and economically suicidal to have tied the importation of products to the secondary market exchange rate;

Given the fact that in the past five years, there has been no increase in salaries or wages or pensions  in the face of devaluations, spiralling inflation and other vagaries of the economy, this product price increase is unrealistic, unaffordable, unacceptable and is thus rejected;

Government is unable to justify this price increase other than the puerile explanation that marketers need to recover their costs, without a thought for the aggregate or  larger national interest including the need for local refining and creation of jobs;

The government has remained incalcitrant  in spite of a subsisting court injunction on the issue of the criminal increase in  electricity tariff even in the face of ever-worsening power supply situation;

From the foregoing, it is evident that the neo-liberal forces in the government have taken over the government, and we should expect more inhumane policies which will further degrade the living standard of the average Nigerian. The punitive electricity tariff and PMS product prices may just be teasers;

The implications are costly and far-reaching, with the first and most significant being that we have become dependent on the massive importation of refined products to meet our domestic needs in contra-distinction to other OPEC members. Whereas most OPEC members significantly meet their domestic needs through domestic refining by an average of 80 per cent, Nigeria on the contrary, at the pace it is going, will continue to rely on about 90 percent of imported refined products in the foreseeable future;

And because we are dependent on importation, the end-user price  will always be influenced or determined by external factors such as the cost of refining abroad, transportation and others denominated in the dollar. As the Naira continues to depreciate against the dollar, so will the woes of consumers in Nigeria continue to increase, a situation the Marketers in classic greed will exploit to their advantage;

Taking into account the utilitarian value of petroleum products in Nigeria, all sectors are going to be negatively affected by this mindless price increase as virtually all the stakeholders are agreed that the most significant contributor to the astronomical cost of doing business in Nigeria is the cost of energy.

NLC, TUC, and other civil society allies are not unaware of the positions taken by the Unions in the Oil and Gas Industry. A process of engagement will be put in place to ensure the success of the struggle to protect the overall interest of the Nigerian people.

In consideration of all of the above, we urge government to:

Revert to the old price regime to reduce the suffering of the people and to consider this singular act of mindless pump price increase as a betrayal of trust;

Revert to the pre-45 percent electricity tariff increase, make meters available to consumers and stop estimated billing; 

Reconstitute  the boards of PPPRA and NNPC without further delay and give them their statutory right to function alongside DPR in order to deepen the process of consultation, checks and balances in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry;

Intensify the prosecution of all those involved in subsidy scams with a view to recovery and sanctioning of the culpable;

Put in place enhanced local refining capacity within a specified period  in place of endless importation as an enduring solution to the perennial problem of scarcity;

Reverse the entire deregulation and privatization process which foists on the nation, private individuals as drivers of the economy in contravention of the constitutional provision that says government shall be the driver of the  economy and engage the organised labour in the process of negotiation on key policy issues;

Wean itself from the overbearing influence of the neo-liberal elements in its fold who have not  only staged a coup but are determined to make this government collapse even before  the end of its four-year tenure;

Uphold its electioneering promises to Nigerians   instead of subjecting them to the vagaries of slavish policies such as full devaluation of the naira and total removal of  subsidy as enunciated by the IMF and its agents in the system;

In the event government fails to accede to these demands on or before 12 midnight on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and their civil society allies resolve to commence the following actions with effect from Wednesday, May 18, 2016;

·         Mobilize to the streets across the country, ordinary and helpless Nigerians to whom they owe the duty of protection;

·         Shut down all Banks, Sea and Airports, Government and private offices as well as Markets.

·         Commence indefinite nationwide strike action.

·         Fight/resist the machinations and cruelties of the neo-liberal forces in the government as part of the process of saving the government from itself and the generality of Nigerians from slavery.

Nigerian are therefore advised to stock sufficient food items that will last for a while for the prosecution of the current struggle against neo-liberal agenda in Nigeria.

For and on behalf of Nigeria Workers, Civil society allies, and the Masses;