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Protest Updates : One Killed , Several Severely Injured(Details Unfold)
Protests Continue in Lagos, One Killed, 4 Injured in Abuja
Our ReportersIt was a mixed bag for the #Endbadgovernance# protests yesterday, as the action seemed to be losing the steam with which it started in some States the previous day. While it continued peacefully on the second day in Lagos and some other States, there was a clash between protesters and security officials at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja, while other parts of the Federal Capital Territory were relatively peaceful.
While some cities witnessed arrests of suspected vandals, others saw the gradual return to normalcy with businesses reopening though protesters still thronged the streets.However, the northern part of the country which had appeared as the epicenter of the hunger protests where curfew was imposed in some States on the first day, seemed to have come under better control than the previous day as arrests were made while report of casualties reduced across cities in the region.
Also, there were more appeals from government, pressure groups like the leadership of Pan Niger Delta Forum, (PANDEF) and highly placed individuals for protesters to return home having made their points and impact which saw government scrambling for control.In Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu appealed to protesters who defied thugs that tried in vain through use of threats and attacks to dissuade their action, while in Abuja, the nation’s capital, clashes occurred between the police and protesters who were teargased with a reported casualty and some injuries on the part of the protesters.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Committee of International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) yesterday, stated that it had observed with concern a series of indiscriminate attacks on journalists covering the protests in the country.“We hasten to remind law enforcement agencies that it is the constitutional duty of journalists to cover the protests. They should, therefore, not be attacked while carrying out their duties. While we recognise the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order, it is also the responsibility of journalists to inform the public of happenings in the country.
“Law enforcement agencies are also duty bound to protect journalists. In this regard, we call on the police to investigate attacks on journalists covering the protests. We also demand that journalists be protected from attacks,” a statement jointly signed by Musikilu Mojeed, President, IPI Nigeria and Tobi Soniyi, Legal Adviser, IPI Nigeria respectively, stated.It listed some of the reported attacks on journalists to include the attack on Benard Akede of News Central Television, who was allegedly interrupted and harassed by Police officers who barred him and other journalists from interviewing anyone during a live broadcast in Lagos and in Kano, a vehicle belonging to Channels Television and conveying about eleven journalists was vandalised.“Also, in Kano, another vehicle belonging to Premier Radio was attacked. A car belonging to Cool/Wazobia/Arewa FM Kano was also not spared.“In Abuja, the nation’s capital, Yakubu Mohammed of Premium Times was attacked and injured by Police officers who hit him with the butt of their guns and their batons and caused injuries to his head while covering the protest.Cameras belonging to journalists were also destroyed by Police officers. Jide Oyekunle, a photojournalist with Daily Independent and Chairman of FCT Correspondent Chapel of the NUJ, was arrested and his mobile telephone seized by Police officers,” it added.
Return Stolen Items to Their Owners, Emir Sanusi Tells LootersBarely 24 hours after some hoodlums looted public and private properties during Thursday protest, the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II, has urged looters to voluntarily return all stolen goods to rightful owners.Sanusi who made the call at a press conference in his palace yesterday, urged parents, guardians, religious and community leaders to compel those who took part in the looting of the properties to return them.“When people steal goods they always find a buyer, let us try and refuse to buy stolen goods and instead encourage those young men and women to return those goods to their owners.”“Today is a sad day for the people of Kano as we reflect over the events of yesterday (Thursday). The violence of yesterday was what scholars and leaders kept warning against the possibility that miscreants and agents of destruction would hijack peaceful demonstrations and use that opportunity to cause mayhem which led to loss of lives and destruction of properties and injuries to countless people.”“As we said during the stakeholders meeting, any violence in Kano only hurts Kano, it hurts innocent people. The young people who died are our children, the properties that was burnt and stolen belongs to the people of Kano.“We have set ourselves back. The printing press that was burnt will have to be rebuilt, the machines will have to be bought and these are funds that could have gone into youth empowerment, into poverty alleviation, into education, healthcare and nutrition and addressing the very problems that we are protesting against. Emir Sanusi lamented.
LagosUndeterred by threats from hoodlums, protesters persisted in their demonstration for the second day, demanding an end to bad governance and improved living conditions.Despite warnings from thugs who were roaming around, not to stage a protest at the Gani Fawehinmi’s, Freedom Park, Ojota, the protesters gathered at the park, where Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) assured them of maximum security.The CP’s assurance came as a relief to the protesters, who had earlier received threats from hoodlums attempting to disrupt the peaceful demonstration.Addressing the protesters amidst concerns about their safety, the Lagos State Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Okafor, who was with the protesters for the major parts of the protest yesterday, assured them of maximum protection from the police if they confine their protest inside the park.Earlier, there were agitations by the protesters as thugs converged at the venue, threatened the protesters, and asked them to return to their various homes to protest and make their demands.Addressing the protesters upon his arrival, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fayoade Adegoke, said: “I am going to be with you and I’m giving you one hundred per cent that nobody will infiltrate the park. I will not leave here until the end of the protest and will be in charge of the security of this place.”
AbujaA protester was killed while three others were injured at MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja after officials of Department of State Services (DSS) fired gun shots into the air.The protesters had reconvened at the stadium under heavy security provided by personnel from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Police and DSS, after they were denied access to Eagle Square in compliance with a court order.Some minutes earlier, the protesters were tear gassed at the Berger roundabout in Wuse Zone 6 from where they marched to the stadium singing solidarity songs. Despite the not too pleasant experience, the protesters vowed they would not back out from their action nor be intimidated by security agencies.Similarly, relative calm pervaded the communities along the strategic Abuja-Keffi Road yesterday as many of the conveners eased off from the road.This situation was in sharp contrast to the total lockdown witnessed on the road when protesters looted shops, robbed pedestrians and barricaded many segments of it on the first day of the protest.Apart from protest by a small crowd that was dispersed by soldiers when it gathered at Nyanya, the atmosphere was generally subdued at Nyanya, Mararaba, New Karu, One Man Village and Ado as well as other communities along Abuja-Keffi Road that connected FCT with Nasarawa State.Markets, shops and fuel stations opened for business while private and commercial vehicles with commuters plied the road.A police helicopter hovered above the area in the morning while patrol vehicles were strategically packed at different points of the road to maintain law and order.
RiversYouths, women, civil society organisations, children, including physically challenged persons yesterday, hit major streets in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, protesting hardship and hunger in the country.The peaceful protesters in their thousands started their protest in the morning from Pleasure Park on Aba Road, through Garrison to Eastern Bypass axis. They also marched through Aggrey Road in Port Harcourt Township to Government House, then proceeded to Azikiwe Road and terminated at the popular Isaac Boro Park at about 4pm.During the protest, THISDAY observed that yesterday’s movement had more number of protesters than that of Thursday, although businesses have partially retuned in some areas in Port Harcourt and its environs, government facilities including the Courts, Secretariat and other institutions are still shutdown in dear of vandalism.It was also noted that the security operatives monitoring the protest in the state, particularly the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, Mr. Olatunji Disu, and his men were fully on ground ensuring that there was no breakdown of law by the protesters. There was friendly relationship between the protesters and security agencies during the protest that lasted for about 7hours.KwaraThe State continued the boycott of the protest as happened on the first day which drew the commendation of the Governor and Chairman Nigeria’s Governors Forum (NGF) Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who said President Bola Tinubu and leaders across the country had listened to the complaints of citizens on the state of the economy and are making frantic efforts to steadily address those concerns.The Governor stated this in Ilorin yesterday shortly after observing the Jum’ah prayer at the Alihamdulillaah Mosque GRA, Ilorin, the state capital. According to him, “We have heard you, and a lot more will be done to strengthen the economy and ensure the welfare of the people. I urge all of you to please be patient with the President”.Abdulrazaq said the President is working on more interventions to ease the burden across the federation.He again appreciated the people of the state for remaining peaceful as they go about their businesses, saying his administration will continue to prioritise their welfare.
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