#EndbadgovernanceinNigeria
protests turn violent
Concerns, genuine or not, expressed by those opposed to the EndbadgovernanceinNigeria protests that they could become violent, came true by the close of the first day of the scheduled 10-day event yesterday.
The protests, carried out in most parts of the country reportedly witnessed a huge turnout in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Niger, but were largely ignored in most of the South South and South East, while peaceful in Benue, Lagos, and Oyo States.
Launched to decry the increasing hunger and high cost of living in the country amid official profligacy and insensitivity, protesters clashed with security operatives in Abuja, who resorted to firing of canisters of teargas to disperse the unyielding crowd of protesters who massed in suburbs like Gwagwalada, Maraba, as well as the central areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Video clips shown online and on television stations showed a huge crowd of protesters, whom the police said were hoodlums, in high brow Asokoro and Central Business District of the country’s seat of power.
Criminal elements broke into shops in Kano and looted goods, even as a military truck with men dressed in military camouflage was seen in one video also carting away some of the stolen items. The police said they had made some arrests.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, addressed a press conference yesterday where he said that there was report that a police officer on duty was killed during the demonstrations in one of the states.
The situation in Kano, Jigawa , Katsina Kaduna and Niger States was reportedly chaotic as losses of lives were recorded, even as curfews were imposed on Kano, Borno and Jigawa States.
Egbetokun said the police had been placed on high alert to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order, blaming the leaders of the protests for allegedly not being on ground to direct affairs and thus yielding ground to hoodlums to have a field day.
Demonstrators in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ignored threats by former militant leader, Mujadid Asari Dojubọ, warning he would not allow protests in the Niger Delta.
Not only did hundreds of protesters storm Port Harcourt yesterday, they were as of this time of writing gathering again to resume the demonstrations.
In Lagos, the protesters returned to Ojota this morning to resume the demonstrations, but were greeted with a number of police officers who took up positions opposite them apparently to prevent further protests. Both groups just stood there peacefully.
