The police in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, used teargas to disperse protesters gathered at the Berger Roundabout on Friday, the second day of the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests against hunger and hardship.
The protesters, who were chanting slogans like “End bad governance” and “Hungry dey,” were peacefully assembled when the police ordered them to leave the area.
Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, the police fired teargas canisters into the air, forcing journalists and protesters to flee for safety.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) operatives present at the scene were visibly upset with the police for using teargas on the peaceful protesters.
The protest was initially planned to take place at the Mashood Abiola National Stadium, as ordered by an FCT High Court on Wednesday.
However, the police denied the protesters access to the venue on Thursday, leading some of them to move to the Eagle Square in the Central Area of Abuja.
The police action on Friday has raised concerns about the right to peaceful assembly and protest in Nigeria.
The protesters are demanding an end to bad governance, hunger, and hardship, and are calling for the government to take action to address these issues.
The use of teargas on peaceful protesters has been widely condemned, and many are calling for an investigation into the police action.
The protest is part of a nationwide movement demanding change in Nigeria, and the police response has only added fuel to the fire.
