Police on Tuesday in Abuja fired tear-gas canisters and high-velocity stream of water at protesters asking for President Muhammadu Buhari to either return to the country or resign.
Armed policemen who also used dogs to scare away the protesters manhandled some of them, leaving one injured and many others scampering to safety. Journalists went early to the Unity Fountain to cover the protest, but they were also not spared from the effect of the teargas.
The protesters, led by Charly Boy, a popular and lone entertainer, gathered at the fountain for the second day of what was planned to be a one-week protest under the OurMumuDonDo campaign to demand the return or resignation of the President who has spent 90 days in London for medical treatment.
As early as 7am, policemen took over the fountain, a development that forced the protesters to relocate to the Millennium Park ground.
However, the security operatives, who were said to be acting on directives from the federal government to disrupt the rally because the protest on Monday went viral and embarrassed the government, went ahead to also disperse the protesters after their relocation to the Millennium Park.
According to a witness, Charly Boy, wept profusely after he and others were teargassed by the police, and later collapsed as he mustered strength to explain what happened when asked by journalists.
It took quick the intervention of other protesters who poured water on him before he could be revived.
“When we saw Charly Boy inside the Millennium Park, he was just crying and we tried to calm him down and ask questions. He just collapsed and fainted as one of his boys was about to explain to us,” said a reporter with WAZOBIA FM.
“His eyes were red and his legs were injured. We had to quickly pour water on him to revive him. We were there when the police again fired another tear-gas canister. Even now, my eyes are aching.”
The wounded protester was taken to a clinic at the Federal Secretariat complex, a few kilometres from the scene of the incident. But the extent of his injuries could not be immediately ascertained.
The participants, however, braved the assault and continued with their meeting for about an hour.
Every day i pray that Naija will get better that Buhari will receive healing and that the Acting President will receive wisdom to know what to do, when to do it and how to do it. Despite all i see i still believe all will be well.
Watching the TV yesterday, i was saddened at how the Police whom we clothe and equip with our taxes, would apply so much violence in the name of quelling a peaceful protest where protesters did not molest or harrass any one but simply sat on the ground protesting and making known their guaranteed rights. Such brutality was totally uncalled for and could have been avoided.
Naija police can never be “my friend” no matter what they do. Such scenes from yesterday night continue to drive a deep wedge between the masses of Nigeria and the Police.
Furthermore, i am surprised that no one within the Government establishment has deemed it fit yet to speak out and condemn in the strongest terms the high handedness of the Police. I would have expected that a humane presidency would have immediately sent the Police a strong worded statement of its condemnation of the treatment of the protesters but “my Government” has failed me again. I am indeed saddened.
Nigerians, please wake up. This Change has to be changed. Our Mumu don do true true.
What a Nigerian Government way to attend to protesters. When people agitate to know the health state of their President, the simple thing to do is to open up to them. The Nigerian constitution spelt out steps to be taken when a President in incapacitated to run his office, hiding the true health condition of President Buhari will only create more chaos. My advice to Nigerian Government is to treat protesters fairly. US Senator John McCain was recently diagnosed with brain cancer and was made public, it’s human right to know the health state of a Leader.