The #endbadgovernance protest in Abuja, Borno, Kaduna and bauchi turned sour as the Police fired tear gas on protesting citizens.
In Abuja, they fire tear gas on them to prevent the protesters in the nation’s capital from gaining entry into the Eagles Square.
Also, the Nigerian police fired tear gas to break up several hundred protesters in the northern city of Kano.
The protesters tried to light bonfires outside the state governor’s office and police responded with tear gas, forcing most of the demonstrators back, an AFP correspondent at the scene said.
Protesters in their numbers on Thursday shunned an order by the Federal Capital Territory which restricted the protest to the MKO Stadium in the city.
But the #endbadgovernance protest in Bauchi State was disrupted as police fired tear gas at protesters who had assembled in front of the Emir of Bauchi’s palace, demanded a meeting with the Emir but were stopped by a police barricade.
Sadly, for the people of Borno, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), in collaboration with other security agencies, imposed a 24-hour curfew in Borno State following a recent tragic incident.
The announcement comes in response to the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) in Kawori, which resulted in the deaths of 16 people and left several others critically injured. The decision was taken to prevent further unrest and maintain public order in the state.
Meanwhile, the Organised Civil Society knocked the Nigeria Police Force for tear-gassing “defenceless protesters” in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Bauchi, and other states in the country.
Recalled that Justice Sylvanus Oriji had given an order on Wednesday while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application brought before him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike restricting access to the Eagle Square.
The protesters, however, marched to the Eagles Square which they initially planned to use to make their voices heard.
As they approached the venue, the police fired tear gas at them, creating a wall of tear gas smoke, which prevented the crowd from moving forward.
A report from Channels TV said they insisted on exercising their rights and condemned the actions of the police.
Reacting to all these developments in a statement, the United Action Front of Civil Society said three peaceful protesters tear-gassed by the police fainted in Abuja with many others injured.
The CSO leader Olawale Okunniyi alleged that pro-government protesters forced anti-hunger protesters out of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, the venue designated by the government.
“The anti-hunger protesters sensing danger and possible violent clash, decided to quietly move in peaceful procession to the Eagle Square, where they had earlier designated to hold their peaceful protest.
“On getting to the Eagle Square, security agents swooped on them and unleashed mayhem on peaceful protesters with tear gas canisters, injuring several unarmed and defenceless protesters with three protesters reported to have fainted.”
