The group in a statement posted on its X handle on Tuesday lamented that the council chairman sent thugs to attack Manaseh Ben Paul, one of the leaders of the recent protest against dilapidated roads and infrastructure in the area council.
Human rights and pro-democracy group, Take-It-Back Movement (TIB) has called for the arrest of Abu Giri, Gwagwalada council chairman in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja over alleged lawlessness.
The group in a statement posted on its X handle on Tuesday lamented that the council chairman sent thugs to attack Manaseh Ben Paul, one of the leaders of the recent protest against dilapidated roads and infrastructure in the area council.
The statement reads in part, "Report has it that earlier today, the Gwagwalada council Chairman, Abu Giri sent thugs to attack Manaseh Ben Paul, one of the leaders of the recent protest against dilapidated road and infrastructure in Gwagwalada area council.
"Their target wasn't home, hence they tortured colleagues who live with him in the house. One of the victims, Uche is badly wounded and currently taking medical care at the hospital. We consider this act as unfortunate, and criminal.”
"Forthwith, we seize this moment to demand that @PoliceNG arrests the council Chairman, and perpetrators of this lawless and dastardly act, "the statement added.
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SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Gwagwalada area council chairman in the Federal Capital Territory, Giri, had directed a group of hoodlums to attack all the residents and concerned citizens who participated in a protest against the bad state of infrastructure in the area.
A human rights advocate, Manasseh Ben Paul, who was among the organisers of the peaceful protest, revealed this in a post he made via X platform on Tuesday afternoon.
He noted that the council chairman dispatched a gang of hoodlums to his residence and brutalised everyone they saw there.
He said, “The Gwagwalada area council Chairman continues to threaten me, and others who participated in the protest with arrest. This morning, he sent ‘Majesty’ and a group of boys to my house where they attacked and tortured those they met in my house.”
He said that after filing many complaints against the chairman with the Nigerian police, they chose not to do anything to stop him.
He continued: “As I speak to you, Uche and others who were tortured have landed at the hospital receiving treatment. Many complaints have been made to the Gwagwalada police stations. Unfortunately, they have refused to arrest the Area Council Chairman, and the boys who perpetrated this violent attack.
“I am tagging @police and @princemonye to do the needful, and arrest the culprits. Last time I checked, protesting is within my right as a Nigerian citizen. We protest against the President of the country, the Council Chairman will not be an exception.”
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SaharaReporters had reported that a group of youths under the aegis of Concerned Citizens of Kutunku in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja last Friday staged a peaceful protest against the deplorable condition of Kutunku market and abattoir roads in the area.
The youths also threatened to shut down the Gwagwalada Area Council Secretariat and office of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, if their demands were not met.
The placard-carrying protesters in their number marched through Kutunku Market road to demand the immediate rehabilitation of the roads which they said had been in bad shape for years.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: ‘Save Gwagwalada Now,’ ‘We Can't Continue Like This,’ ‘Repair Market and Abattoir Road Now,’ ‘We Can't Keep Silence and Be Suffering,’ ‘We Deserve Better Treatment’ among others.
The Press Secretary to the Council Chairman, Ibrahim Yamawo, in a media release claimed that the protest took place without considering the good performance of the Abubakar Jibrin Giri-led administration.