Soldiers deployed by Nigeria's head Goodluck Jonathan forcefully dispersed protesters around the city of Lagos today. Several protesters were dispersed by heavily armed soldiers shooting live bullets above their heads leading to mayhem as the protesters scampered to safety. Several protesters marched on Lagos streets in defiance of earlier orders by the government to prevent further protests.
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Soldiers deployed by Nigeria's head Goodluck Jonathan forcefully dispersed protesters around the city of Lagos today. Several protesters were dispersed by heavily armed soldiers shooting live bullets above their heads leading to mayhem as the protesters scampered to safety. Several protesters marched on Lagos streets in defiance of earlier orders by the government to prevent further protests.
Mr. Jonathan had slightly reduced prices of gasoline during an early state address in the morning, but protesters rejected the unilateral reduction and went on the streets to protest against the policy withdrawing fuel subsidy by the Nigerian government. Soldier had flooded Lagos streets since last night, dismantling public address systems put in place by the Save Nigeria Group at the popular square named after late Lagos lawyer, gain Fawehinmi.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana told SaharaReporters earlier that soldiers prevent him from reaching the venue of a scheduled rally at the park. He was refused access despite protests that the military violates his rights by preventing him from reaching the venue.
However, defiant group of protesters led by a prominent activist, Bamidele Aturu and Abiodun Aremu of the Joint Action Front (JAF) defied the soldiers and marched on Ikorodu road until armed soldiers dispersed the crowd shooting recklessly. No injuries were reported so far.
A group of 5000 youths also gathered at Femi Kuti's shrine, chanting anti government songs and vowing to march on the Ojota venue of the #Occupy Nigeria movement.
Also, a batch of plain-cloth security invaded the offices of the CNN Lagos today apparently to prevent the cable news channel from beaming reports sympathetic to the Occupy protesters. The SSs also raided the offices of the BBC and briefly arrested Christian Purefoy (formerly of CNN) and later released him as he told them he no longer works with CNN. The CNN visiting correspendent Nima Elbagir has been invited by the SSS to their Kingsway road office in Ikoyi Lagos.
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