As protests and demonstrations broke out in many states yesterday over the deregulation of the pricing of petrol – leading to the death of a protester in Ilorin, Kwara State – President Goodluck Jonathan has called an emergency session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The agenda for today’s meeting, THISDAY learnt, would be on two issues – deregulation and the declaration of state of emergency in 15 local government areas in four states. FEC had adjourned last month and was supposed to reconvene on January 11 but the state of the nation prompted the shortened break, THISDAY learnt last night. The nationwide protests, which began Monday in a few cities across the country, yesterday spread to more locations. In the meantime, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) - the two biggest labour unions in the country - announced yesterday that their members would go on strike from Wednesday next week to press home a reversal of the deregulation policy. The young man killed in Ilorin was said to have been protesting atop a motor bike when unknown persons allegedly shot him. His identity could not be immediately established as policemen hurriedly seized his body and threw it into the back of a pick-up van and drove away. NLC has said Jonathan should be held responsible for the death. In a statement issued by the President of the NLC, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, the NLC tasked Jonathan to produce the killers so that they can face justice. THISDAY gathered that the protesters had marched through areas like Emirs Road, Adangba area, Ibrahim Taiwo Road and the popular Post Office junction in Ilorin. However, the protest turned violent at the Post Office junction when the protesters were tear-gassed by armed security operatives, who shot several canisters to disperse the protesters which threw the area into pandemonium. By press time last night, most filling stations in the capital remained shut. Contacted yesterday on the protest, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Dabo Ezekiel, said the protester was stabbed to death by a motorcyclist on the chest when he refused to join them during the protest, denying that he died from police’s stray bullet. But the NLC argued that since “the police are directly under the control and command of the Presidency, it is the Jonathan administration’s inhuman policy that has resulted in the murder of an innocent citizen. The NLC holds the Jonathan administration liable for this murder and advises it to fish out its agents who shot protesters in Ilorin and bring them to justice”. Meanwhile, the Kwara State government has ordered a full scale investigation into the circumstances that led to the killing. In the same vein, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, has called on the people of the state not to, in the process of expressing their rejection of removal of fuel subsidy, take laws into their hands. The protests, which spread like wild fire, also took place in the following towns and cities across the nation. Bayelsa: Highway Blocked The rage of the protests soon provided opportunity for some militants numbering about 200 to invade the busy East-West (Warri/Port Harcourt) highway and blocked it. This caused huge traffic jam that traumatised travellers on the route. The closure, which lasted almost four hours, however, ended when the militant protesters were dislodged by soldiers of the Joint (military) Task Force (JTF) after a prolonged gun battle. The youths at about 6.00am had set bonfire at the Bomadi junction at Orhoror town in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State forcing all motorists to park as they chanted and danced along the highway. Ibadan: City on its knees In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, a massive protest embarked upon by the students of the various institutions based in Ibadan paralysed business and political activities in the ancient city. The protest, which kicked off at the University of Ibadan as early as 8am, was embarked upon in collaboration with the Coalition of Youths Against Fuel Subsidy Removal in the state with a vow to make the country ungovernable for President Jonathan. The protesters marched from Bodija market through Mokola roundabout and berthed at the Governor’s Office in Agodi, Ibadan, chanting anti-government songs. The protesters later presented a letter to Governor Abiola Ajimobi for onward delivery to Jonathan.