The Deputy President of the Comrade Joe Ajaero-led faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Issa Aremu, that should the scarcity of fuel linger more than it is, labour would mobilise workers nationwide for an indefinite strike.

He described the nationwide fuel scarcity presently being experienced across the country as war against the citizens and a deliberate attempt to subject 170 million Nigerians to economic suicide.

According to Comrade Aremu, “Nigeria is the only country on earth which unacceptably and criminally denies its citizens basic sources of energy; fuel and electricity. He said it was time all Nigerians stop agonizing and rise in unison against this capitalistic tendencies of few people.

“After several weeks of deliberate deprivation of petroleum products by both the government and marketers alike with all the associated hardships, it is time all Nigerians stop agonizing and rise in unison against this (Nigeria’s) agony.

“With petroleum products’ prices as high as N350 per litre, (far above N87 per litre!) claims and counter-claims between Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and marketers over so-called N159bn subsidy payments and all state actors looking indifferent, Nigeria is the only country on earth which unacceptably and criminally denies its citizens basic sources of energy, fuel and electricity,” he said.

Aremu lamented that, “what is happening in Nigeria amounts to ‘economicide’ which is a conscious subjugation of 170 million people to economic suicide and economic ruination through unsustainable petroleum import-based racket that denies petroleum products needed for mass movement of goods and services, enriches few cabal, puts pressures on foreign exchange, fuels products hoarding and promotes sheer price robbery of the already impoverished citizens.

“This is an unofficial declaration of war against the citizens by combined forces of irresponsible ruling elite and business crooks. Economicide just like Genocide is a deliberate and indiscriminate policy against a group of people with the intent to destroy the entire group physically and economically,” he said.

In a statement titled; “Time To Rise Up Against On-going Agony Capitalism And Economicide”, he threatened that if the current scarcity and price robbery of Nigerians continue, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has no choice but to compel workers to stay at home, saying that workers will certainly not fuel themselves to work with their blood.

He said that there is a limit to slavery and state/marketers’ extortions.

“With an outgoing President and expected incoming President, five past Heads of State alive, 36 states Governors, and hundreds of Legislators and scores of Ministers, no country on earth parades the highest number of state actors. We also have high-sounding agencies such as NNPC, PPPRA among others. And yet there is no governance with respect to basic distribution of basic products like petroleum and kerosene. This agony of capitalism must be mass resisted by all Nigerians,” the union insisted.

Meanwhile, as fuel scarcity continues to bite harder, many black market operators have resorted to selling adulterated fuels to desperate buyers.

Despite that many of the operators are selling a litre between N200 to N400 per litre.

The menace of adulterated petrol products flooding the market, especially during the period of scarcity has lingered for several years now without any concrete solutions in sight. This adulterated fuel usually causes explosion that result in social and economic catastrophe.

Some residents who spoke to Daily Independent admitted that they know the danger inherent in patronising the black market operators but added that they have no choice.


According to Muyiwa Adesoye, a commercial motorcyclist, who said he bought five litres of fuel for N2,000 at Mushin area on Sunday: “I believe the fuel may be adulterated. Some of these guys mix it with water or kerosene. But I have no option than to buy since I have to work.”

Diesel1:
I swear buhari is not of God, his bad luck don change everything to hard ship