Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has criticized the Federal Government’s proposed 5% fuel surcharge, warning that the move would further deepen economic hardship for Nigerians.
Speaking in an interview, Falana argued that citizens should not be burdened with additional taxes while the government itself owes statutory obligations. He noted that the Federal Government has failed to remit funds due to the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), estimated at about ₦1 trillion.
“It is the Federal Government that is owing, not the Nigerian people,” Falana stressed, urging authorities to settle outstanding debts before introducing new levies.
The lawyer also cautioned against the complete removal of fuel subsidy, insisting that such a policy, if pursued without safeguards, could destabilize the economy and worsen the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.
