On Friday, police fired tear gas canisters at protesters gathered at the Berger roundabout, a key assembly point.
On the second day of the 10-day #EndBadGovernance protest, Nigerian police operatives launched a violent attack on demonstrators in Abuja.
On Friday, police fired tear gas canisters at protesters gathered at the Berger roundabout, a key assembly point.
Journalists covering the protest were also targeted, tear-gassed, and attacked at a separate location, mirroring the previous day's events.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, claimed on Thursday that a serving Senator was seen supplying food and drinks to protesters who were protesting against government.
“Now we also have intelligence that a senator had to invite some security agencies to lead some of them to go and provide food for the protesters. That is sponsorship.
“A senator providing food for protesters. At the appropriate time, security agencies will invite the senator and find out how you will be sponsoring this kind of thing against the government of the day,” he said.
The minister again called for protesters to obey the court order restricting them to the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, noting the violence and killings that had occurred in other parts of the country on the first day of the protest.
He disclosed that security agencies also had intelligence that miscreants planned to hijack the protest to destroy properties on Friday (today), stating, however, that security operatives would not allow it.
“We believe that this is a democratic government and so we must act according to the rule of law. We also believe that this protest is their entitlement so that the government can address the issues raised. Obeying the rule of law is obeying court orders.
“You saw what happened today when some people tried to move into Eagle Square. Miscreants may not have succeeded in what they wanted to do, but we have intelligence that they are coming out tomorrow to destroy property that will lead to loss of lives.
“The security agencies will not allow that. Every protester, please, go to the MKO Abiola stadium and do your protest. That is what the court said,” he declared.