Metro

Activities Grounded As Delta Traders Protest Illegal Levies

Published

3 years ago

July 13, 2022

Commercial activities were paralysed for several hours on Wednesday at the popular Igbudu market in Warri, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State as traders embarked on a peaceful rally in protest against alleged extortion by the market administrator popularly called market master.

The protesters accused the market master, said to be an official of Warri South Local Government Council, of allegedly collecting illegal levies from the traders.

They alleged that the market master’s action has been crippling their economic activities and causing untold hardship on them and their customers, as the burden of the levies are passed on to the customers.

While calling on the Chairman of Warri South Local Government, Dr Michael Tidi, to intervene urgently in the matter which they described as worrisome, the leadership of the protesting traders attributed the rampant price increases partly to the illicit activities of the market master.

The PUNCH reports that many visitors to the market were visibly disappointed as the shops and stalls were under lock and key while the traders were outside protesting.

The protest also resulted in heavy gridlock on the ever busy Warri/Sapele Road as the angry traders marched to the secretariat of Warri South Local Government Council chanting solidarity songs, and demanding urgent intervention of the local government authorities.

At the Warri South secretariat where they met the Council Chairman, Dr Tidi, the President-General of Igbudu Market Traders Association, Oghenerume Kugbere, alleged that the market master has been extorting traders at the market through the collection of several illegal levies and sought to know if the collections had the blessings of the Local Government administration.

He noted that if the illegal levies were allowed, the traders will have no choice but to pass the high cost of wares to customers, a situation that is bound to worsen the economic situation for the customers.

Comrade Kugbere stated that several efforts to prevail over the market master on the issue have been unsuccessful and appealed to the Chairman of Warri South Local Government to intervene so as to restore peace between the traders of Igbudu market and the Market Master.

Responding, the Council Chairman commended the traders for the peaceful protest and promised to wade into the issue.

The Local Government Council boss appealed to the aggrieved traders to return to their duty posts whilst their complaints were being addressed.

However, the embattled market master could not be reached to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.

Metro

Sowore Mobilises Supporters For #FreeNnamdiKanu Protest

Published

1 hour ago

October 20, 2025

Editor

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has urged Nigerians to join a nationwide protest demanding the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu, despite a court order restricting demonstrations around key government areas in Abuja.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday morning, Sowore called on citizens to take to the streets in peaceful protest.

“Good morning, wherever you may be this morning, do not stop moving. Carry a sign, sing a song, make a statement!” he wrote.

He had earlier shared a message on Sunday night welcoming participants to the protest tagged#FreeNnamdiKanuNow.

“We warmly welcome everyone who has travelled from far and wide to join the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest tomorrow. Your courage, sacrifice, and solidarity speak volumes. Together, we are writing history,” he wrote.

Sowore announced that protesters would converge in front of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, at 7 am, urging them to “come ready, come peaceful, come determined.”

He also shared a Facebook post that read, “We want to put one million people on the streets of Abuja tomorrow for #FreeNnamdiKanuNow — let’s make it happen.”

However, the planned march comes in defiance of an interim injunction issued by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which restrained Sowore and other organisers from protesting in or around sensitive government areas, including the Presidential Villa, National Assembly Complex, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.

Reacting to the reported order on Saturday, Sowore questioned its legitimacy and the perceived double standards of law enforcement.

“Suppose a court order truly exists restricting protests around Aso Rock Villa; it begs the question: why hasn’t the same police force obtained a similar order against those protesting freely for three consecutive days opposing Nnamdi Kanu’s release?” Sowore asked.

“The hypocrisy is glaring. The double standards are undeniable,” he added.

The activist disclosed that his legal team, comprising 115 lawyers, would challenge the alleged court order once it is formally served on Monday.

He maintained that the planned October 20 #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest would proceed as a peaceful and lawful march, declaring, “October 20 #FreeNnamdiKanuNow remains sacrosanct. We march peacefully, lawfully, and powerfully.”

The demonstration also coincides with the fifth anniversary of the #EndSARS protests of October 2020, which culminated in the alleged Lekki Toll Gate massacre — a period now remembered for its call for police reform and justice for victims of brutality.

Metro

Police Fire Tear Gas At #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow Protesters In Abuja

Published

2 hours ago

October 20, 2025

Editor

Security operatives on Monday fired tear gas canisters at protesters, including human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, who had gathered in Abuja to demand the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The protest, tagged #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow, was planned to take off from the Transcorp Hilton area and other parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), but was disrupted as police officers moved in early, firing multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse participants and passersby.

The operatives, who had cordoned off the hotel and adjoining streets, began firing tear gas even before protesters arrived in large numbers.

A visibly tightened atmosphere was observed across the city on the way this morning.

Soldiers, police, and operatives of the Department of State Services were deployed to key locations, including the Three Arms Zone, Eagle Square, Federal Secretariat, Unity Fountain, and routes leading to Aso Rock.

Metro

[PHOTOS] #FreeNnamdiKanuNow: Gridlock Hits Abuja Expressway

Published

2 hours ago

October 20, 2025

Editor

Severe morning traffic congestion has brought the Kugbo-Nyanya Expressway to a standstill on Monday, as a planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest disrupts commuting into the Federal Capital Territory.

The demonstration, organised by activist Omoyele Sowore, began at 7 a.m. near the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, with protesters demanding the release of Indigenous People of Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu, who has been detained since 2021 on terrorism charges.

According to NTA News, the heavy gridlock is fueled by parked vehicles and gatherings along the busy Abuja-Keffi highway stretch, mixing commuter traffic with protest-related activity.

“Motorists heading into the FCT from the Kugbo/Nyanya axis report slow movement, with several lanes reportedly blocked by parked vehicles and protest‑related activity,” the station reported.

It identified that the corridor is historically vulnerable to disruptions, citing “heavy traffic and blocked lanes due to security checks during protests and security operations in the past.”

The protest, defying police warnings and a Federal High Court order, aims to march toward the Presidential Villa, raising security concerns across the city.

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that security operatives fired tear gas canisters at protesters, including Sowore, who had gathered for the protest.