The #EndBadGovernance Protest organised by youths across Nigeria to express their anger against hunger and corruption entered its second day on Friday, August 2. The ICIR’s BANKOLE ABE and KEHINDE OGUNYALE report on the events that characterised the day’s protest.
THE second day of the ‘End Bad Governance’ protest in Abuja witnessed violence and police shooting tear gas at protesters in the heart of the nation’s capital.
The protesters assembled Friday morning to observe the protest scheduled for 10 days. The protest is targeted at addressing the lingering hunger crisis experienced since the assumption of President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
The ICIR’s team arrived at the MKO Abiola Stadium, where the government restricts the demonstrators, at 8 am. Security operatives had taken strategic positions at the stadium even before the protest began on Thursday, August 1.
When our team got to the venue, no fewer than 10 protesters were on the ground until an hour later when they were informed to move down to Berger, a major bus stop in Abuja, to join other protesters who were already gathered and chanting solidarity songs.
First tear gas on protesters
At about 10 am, the protesters gathered at Berger, carrying various placards with various inscriptions. They also held the Nigerian flag. However, these actions barricaded motorists from plying the road consequently triggering police officers to open canisters on the protesters.
Trouble started after the security operatives attacked the protesters and prevented them from gathering in the Berger area of the city.
The ICIR observed that multiple shots of tear gas were fired in the air towards the demonstrators which forced them to flee. The police officers were also accompanied by those from sister agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigerian Army.
The shots fired pushed the protesters forward and they assembled again at the MKO Stadium.
Hours of waiting at Stadium
The protesters gathered at the stadium for hours with very minimal confrontation. The ICIR spoke with many protesters who said the impact of the fuel subsidy had affected their livelihoods.
A civil rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, said, “If the government invested this much energy they are putting to stop this protest into security, Nigeria will be a better place.” He added that the protesters had done nothing but come out to express their grievances with the government.
Also, one Yuguda, a youth leader from Zamfara State, told The ICIR that the insecurity in the state had lasted for days killing both local villagers and politicians. He said despite the toll the crisis had taken, the government had not done much to contain the problem.
He noted that the Minister of State Defence, Bello Matawalle, was from the state, and understood the lingering insecurity crises facing the state, but had not made bold efforts to stop it.
“Just some weeks ago, a bandit rounded up some villagers and killed them all. We were told there would be an investigation into this but till now, nothing has been done. Some accusing fingers have been pointed but we want the government to step in,” he said.
Protesters injured
One Ademola Lawrence, a protester, who spoke with The ICIR said he was hurt by the canisters that were fired while the protest was going on.
He alleged that the tear gas was shot directly at the protesters and not in the air. One of the cans hit Ademola’s eye, and The ICIR observed that his right eye was bandaged.
Also, while the shots were fired at Berger, another protester, popularly known as Flag Boy, was hit. The victim also alleged that one of the cans hit his leg while he was running and waving the Nigeria flag.
Protesters on the move, police continue teargassing
Later in the day, the protesters marched into the city after getting tired of their confinement to the stadium by the police.
There was trouble again when they moved close to the Nigerian Navy headquarters around noon after police who had formed a barricade close to the building started firing tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.
This led to pandemonium as protesters ran in different directions amidst the sound of heavy gunshots from the police.
The ICIR observed that several shots were fired as protesters fled. This caused injuries to some protesters while others misplaced their phones and other belongings.
The protesters later regrouped at the stadium and had altercations with the security forces, as they condemned they were mistreated. Most of the protesters, who made it back to the stadium bemoaned the use of force to stop the protest and demanded that the police should leave the venue.
Other groups of protesters had gathered in various locations in the nation’s capital, such as Wuse, and Berger Roundabout from where they were forced to the stadium by the security forces.
Other observations
The ICIR observed that a helicopter, belonging to the police hovered over the stadium. The police, Nigeria Army, NSCDC, and State Security Service (SSS) officers were among the security forces manning the stadium.
At some point, the protesters were told that some victims sustained injuries and ran into the bush opposite the stadium. The ICIR observed some of the protesters volunteered to check the bush to look for them.
When it was time for Friday’s Jumat prayers, the Muslim protesters gathered beside the road to observe their prayers.
Some of the placards carried by the protesters include “We regret electing Buhari and Tinubu as our president”, “Remove all corrupt judges”, and “End Bad Governance.” There was also a long banner showing the faces of some victims killed by bandits.
The ICIR reported that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command appealed to all doctors and other health providers in the city to treat every patient who approaches their facilities with gunshot injuries.
This followed a clash between the police and hoodlums in the Lugbe area of Abuja Thursday night amidst the hunger protest.
Since the protest started, there have been glitches in telecommunication services. Most businesses have also been shot as hoodlums resorted to looting and arson in some states.
Following the difficulty experienced by citizens in using the internet and making calls, the Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Odeh Friday, bemoaned the challenges and advised President Tinubu to avoid stifling dissenting voices by restricting Nigerians to protest only at specific locations.
Kehinde Ogunyale tells stories by using data to hold power into account. You can send him a mail at [email protected] (jameskennyogunyale@gmail) or Twitter: Prof_KennyJames
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance