Mass Protests:Rivers TUC Accuses  banks of threatening to dismiss  staff amid police crackdown on protesters
Posted Mon Jan 9,2012

As the nationwide strike across the country gathers momentum, Rivers state chapter of Trade Union Congress has raised alarm over banks threat to dismiss staff who fail to report their offices today.A statement by Chika Onuegbe, Rivers chairman of TUC sent to Newsdiaryonline by sms said “Trade Union Congress of Nigeria TUC  Rivers State has just received  a report  that some banks in PortHarcourt especially Zenith Bank is  threatening their workers with dismissal if they don’t report to work today.TUC (Rivers state) condemns the action of Zenith Bank and other similar banks as anti labour.These workers are Nigerians and not slaves and Zenith bank cannot treat  them as slaves in their fatherland.We urge our National Secretariat of NLC to immediately reach the management of these banks as well as leadership of ASSBIFI to ensure that  no worker is threatened or penalized.On our part we hall carry out any directives from our  National Secretariat”

This is coming amid reports of violence in Lagos in the aftermath of the ongoing mass protests against the withdrawal of fuel subsidy.Unconfirmed reports said at least three people may have been killed .Also there were updates on twitter today that police clashed with protesters at Eagle Square in Abuja as the Occupy Nigeria protests continue.This implies that the crackdown on unarmed protesters which resulted in killings in Ilorin and Kano days  earlier continues. In Benin, the peaceful protest turned violent and the police reported shot cannisters of tear gas to  disperse the protesters In Kaduna,the hitherto peaceful protest reportedly turned violent as the protesters sought entrance into government House.

The general strike and mass protests called by Labour and Civil Society organizations began across the country this morning.In particular reports of power outages have been made across the country and when electricity supply seems to be available, it is erratic.

In Kaduna, everywhere was quiet early in the morning morning but reports now said demonstrations have commenced from Ungwar Rimi as protesting youth were said to be moving towards the city centre.No light, no vehicle movement and the entire city is shutdown .

In Lagos protesters were seen at Ojota  and Ogba among other areas kicking  and cursing the regime for inflicting pains on the masses.In some surburbs of Abuja, there appear  to  be total shutdown as no sign of vehicular movement has been seen yet. And this  gives  the lie to claims by officials that people will be assisted to go to work.

Read some of the interesting tweets  culled this morning

...3people caught in Kaduna about to bomb a church... Funny thing is... They were Xtians... Paid 5million each to do so...

rosanwobabatunde rosanwo

RT @chude: Proud of my mother - offered to drive me to the protests. Parents stopping their children need to be tackled: ( #OccupyNigeria

 kdgr8kate henshaw nuttall

#occupynig abj pcful prtest attckd by mn of d NPF wit cudgels n lft 4 wunded,stole 3mob fones n a laptop.led by DSP C AAdejumo.No Surrender!

Balarabe Musa and labour leaders are leading the protests in Kaduna #OccupyNigeria"

@XaynuDatSpecialLady♥

RT "@profSoyinka: Balarabe Musa and labour leaders are leading the protests in Kaduna #OccupyNigeria"

healnigeriaSeyi Osiyemi

#OccupyAbuja activists at Eagle square now being directly threatened. now being teargased under police watch! Pls share NOW! #OccupyNigeria

 AsylumAfricanaChime Asonye

#OccupyNigeria RT @0lukayode: My younger brother who lives in Ogba just confirmed that 3 ppl were shot at in Ogba and 2 are already dead.

pjlalahAdepeju Mabadeje

@

@rosanwo @chude When my dad tried to stop me, i simply told him his generation has failed me and i want to save my children. He went quiet!