NBA, CIVIL SOCIETIES DEFY POLICE, PROTEST LAND USE CHARGE IN LAGOS MARKETS

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Members of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch and civil society organisations today defied the police and took to the streets again to protest against the new Land Use Charge introduced by the Lagos State government.

Although the Police ordered them to shelve the protest, they ignored the order and protested in various markets in Lagos. The protest was led by Chairman of the branch, Adesina Ogunlana. Others organization which participated include Trade Union Congress (TUC), Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) among others.They all urged the people of Lagos State not to pay the LUC.

The  protest started from the busy Tejuosho market, down to Ojuelegba, Ayilara and Itire road, Agege market and Pen Cinema roundabout, Agege. Ogunlana described the LUC as a “toxic tax’ designed to impoverished the people because they want to create a mega-city. Ogunlana said all those in government in Lagos are not friends of the people pointing out that “they have forgotten that the same people they are trying to kill voted them into office.

“When they were asking for our vote, they promised us change, they promised cheap houses, cheap transportation. But today, they are sucking our blood. Lagosians, don’t be deceived, shine your eyes, LUC would  lead to inflation, increase in rent, increase in cost of transportation, increase in cost of food. This is why we are encouraging people not to pay LUC. It must not be allowed to stay”, he emphasized.

Ogunlana described the protest as a continuation of the sensitization of the people against ” obnoxious tax regime of the governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration “. He said that members of the bar will not rest until the will of the people is done ” because this is not what they promised us”.