- Safiu Kehinde
The Wednesday demonstration at the Ministry of Works took a different twist as protesters arrived at the ministry’s head office in Abuja with teargas mask as precautionary measure in case of possible discharge of teargas cannisters by the police.
NPO Reported that the protesters had in the early hours of Wednesday stormed the ministry, demanding the removal of the Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, over alleged power abuse.
The call for Umahi’s removal came amid ongoing alleged unpaid N205 million debt scandal involving a businesswoman, Traceynither Ohiri.
Sequel to a viral video of Ohiri’s clash with the Minister at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command where she was detained before her arraignment, the businesswoman’s plight had caught the attention of the public and activists who demanded justice over the alleged unjust treatment of the woman by Umahi.
The activists would put their word to action as they staged a protest at Umahi office today.
While no police assault was reported during the demonstration, the protesters however came with their teargas mask as one of the lead activists who spearheaded the protest, Mama Pee, held that they came prepared.
“Our teargas mask is here. We came prepared. We are aware that they might teargas us. So, we brought teargas mask. We have Vaseline.
“Since Nigeria decided not to work, we have decided to make it work. This is just to show you that we are prepared.” She said while addressing the newsmen and protesters.
Mama Pee accused Umahi of targeted intimidation of women as she recounted the case of WinHomes CEO, Engineer Stella Ifeoma Okengwu.
“Our reason here is simple. Umahi what is the problem? What do you want against Nigerian women? Why are you always wanting to frustrate them?
“Why are causing families pain? That woman came out and said you’ve been owing her for 12 years. Poor man dey suffer o. Poor man go work finish for big man, he go say make you do your worse. It needs to end in Nigeria.
“That woman came from abroad, mobilise people to come and invest in Nigeria. These people brought 100 hectares of land and you took it away. Umahi this woman has been begging you for compensation.
“When they were demolishing one of her properties, her own brother fell. I was holding his sister from not collapsing.
“Do you know that the man eventually died? His heart failed him. His heart could not take the pain of what his sister was going through.” She said.