Hoodlums Take Over Strike In Benin

The commencement of the strike called by labour over subsidy withdrawal was almost hijacked by hoodlums in Benin on Monday when they attempted to take over the popular Bureau de change at Ire quarters on the Sapkoba Road.

Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the victims blamed security personnel and the seeming uncoordinated labour for the incident.

One of the victims of the attack, Alhaji Mai Sokoto, told newsmen that he lost a large sum in different currencies in the vandalism.

It took the timely intervention of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. David Omojola’s convoy to disperse the miscreants with teargas.

At Ibiwe and Sapele Road, the protesters burnt a motorcycle and smashed the windscreen of some cars, whose drivers forced their way through the mounted road blocks.

Some of the victims of the attack blamed the leadership of the organised labour for not ensuring proper coordination of the protest and the security personnel for not being pro-active enough.

An NGO, the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), told NAN that the protest was against government’s failure to reverse the subsidy removal.

ANEEJ’s Executive Director, Rev. David Ogolor, said: “We urge government to stop the corruption affecting the oil industry.”