FCT: CSO slams police for tear-gassing protesters, says three fainted

In a statement, the United Action Front of Civil Society reported that three peaceful protesters in Abuja lost consciousness and many others sustained injuries due to the police’s actions.

CSO leader Olawale Okunniyi revealed that pro-government supporters forced anti-hunger protesters out of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, which had been designated by the government as the protest site.

“The anti-hunger protesters, sensing danger and the potential for violence, opted to move peacefully to Eagle Square, their previously chosen location for the demonstration,” he explained.

“However, upon arriving at Eagle Square, they were met with aggression from security agents who unleashed chaos on these peaceful protesters with tear gas canisters, resulting in injuries among several unarmed individuals, with three reported to have fainted.”

The group vehemently condemned the “violent actions of the police in Abuja, Lekki, Kaduna, and other areas, which are in stark contrast to the assurances provided by Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, during our consultative meeting on Tuesday.”

“We find this display of force and the reckless application of violence utterly unacceptable and barbaric. We therefore urge the IGP to immediately rein in his personnel before the situation spirals out of control,” the statement asserted.

The nationwide protests against economic hardship, tagged #EndBadGovernance, began on August 1, 2024, following widespread dissemination on social media, and are set to continue until August 10 across all states and the nation’s capital, Abuja.

In recent months, prices of food and essential goods have skyrocketed as Nigerians face one of the country’s highest inflation rates and economic crises, largely due to the government’s dual policies of eliminating petrol subsidies and unifying foreign exchange rates.

Authorities, including the police, military, and the Department of State Services, have cautioned against protests resembling those in Kenya. Politicians have expressed concerns that the upcoming rallies might mirror the EndSARS demonstrations of October 2020, continuing to urge youths to abandon their protest plans; however, the young people remain resolute.