THE Kogi State Police command has confirmed that the earlier kidnapped caretaker chairman (CTC) of the Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, Zacheous Dare-Michael has escaped from his abductors.
Confirming his escape, the spokesperson of Kogi Police command, William Ovye-Aya, said the chairman escaped from kidnappers in the early hours of Saturday, August 3.
“We give God the glory that he has returned to his family hale and hearty.
“All the same, our officers and men are already trailing the kidnappers to arrest them and rescue other people in their custody,” he said.
Dare Michael was reportedly kidnapped by some unknown gunmen on Friday, August 3. He was said to have been whisked away along with some of his aides.
According to Daily Trust, the incident occurred on the Lokoja expressway as Michael and his team were returning from a meeting in the state capital.
The kidnappers reportedly fired several shots at the chairman’s convoy.
The council boss and his security detail were reportedly overcome by the gunmen in the ensuing battle, which resulted in their abduction.
According to Daily Trust, the Kogi State Police Command’s PPRO, Williams Ovye-Aya, confirmed the incident.
Ovye-Aya was quoted as saying that a military team was tracking the kidnappers’ hideout with the help of neighbourhood vigilantes to save the victims’ lives.
In May 2024, The ICIRreported that several students were abducted at the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTEC) in Osara, Okene, Kogi State.
Eyewitness accounts had indicated that the bandits swooped on the university on the fateful day around 9 pm while the students were doing night prep for their examinations.
A source had told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the bandits entered through the forest and proceeded to enter three lecture halls, where they fired shots into the air to intimidate the students.
The Police later confirmedthe release of 14 of the abducted students from their captors.
Kogi state has been the hotbed of insecurity in Nigeria. The North Central state has witnessed many bandit attacks in recent years.
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu will address Nigerians in a national broadcast on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at 7:00 am.
This was made known by the media aide of the president, Bayo Onanuga, via a press statement on X on Saturday, August 3rd 2024.
The ICIRreports that President Tinubu had come under criticisms from Nigerians, including members of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for failing to address Nigerians since the protests began.
The statement reads :“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will address the nation in a broadcast on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at 7:00 am.
Television, radio, and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) for the broadcast.”
The statement noted that the broadcast will be repeated on the network services of the NTA and the FRCN at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm on the same day.
The President’s address is coming on the heels of the #EndBadGovernance protests which entered its third day today.
The ICIR reports that the #EndBadGovernance protest began on Thursday August 1 2024 and would last until Saturday August 10 2024, according to the organisers.
Hundreds of placard carrying youths from across Nigeria took to the streets to express their anger against hunger and corruption.
Since the protests began, there have not been any word from the presidency.
On the first two days of the protest, peaceful protesters were greeted with teargas causing injuries to some of them.
It was similar on the third day with security operatives shooting at protesters and Journalists
OPERATIVES of the Nigeria Police Force, (NPF) and the army have chased away protesters and journalists from the MKO stadium, Abuja.
The Police reportedly launched several teargas in the direction of the protesters who were demonstrating against the high rate of poverty and hunger in Abuja on Saturday, August 3.
“We heard when one of the officers said protesters were up to 50 and shortly after, they came with scores of policemen,” a source said.
The protesters and journalists ran in different directions during the incident.
The security operatives were reportedly shooting as of the time of filing this report.
It was also gathered that the personnel State Security Service (SSS) came later to disperse the remaining journalists and protesters.
The ICIR reported that on the second day of the #EndBadGovernance protest in Abuja on Friday, August 2, protesters witnessed violence with police throwing teargas canisters at demonstrators in the heart of the nation’s capital.
The protesters had earlier assembled Friday morning to continue with the protest scheduled for 10 days.
The protest is aimed at addressing the lingering hunger crisis experienced since the assumption of President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, according to the organisers.
Security operatives took over strategic positions at the stadium even before the protest began on Friday, August 2.
First tear gas at protesters
At about 10 am, the protesters gathered at Berger, displaying placards with various inscriptions with the Nigerian flag.
However, these actions prevented motorists from plying the road, triggering police officers to open canisters on the protesters.B
Trouble started after security operatives attacked the protesters and prevented them from gathering at 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) as well as the Army.
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has come under criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for not speaking to Nigerians even as the nationwide protests enter day three.
The party on Saturday, August 3, 2024, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja requested the president to immediately inform Nigerians of the measures being taken to lower the price of petroleum products.
It also demanded that the president take action to stop the Naira’s decline and guarantee the prompt delivery of food in order to revitalise the economy, create jobs, and bring stability to the political system.
Part of the statement, obtained by The ICIR reads:”Our party expresses concerns that President Tinubu’s silence is sending a very dangerous signal and heightening public apprehension that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government is insensitive to the feelings of the citizens and the overall sorry state of affairs in the nation.
“It is indeed worrisome that President Tinubu could remain silent as Nigerians are on the streets demanding for good governance, protection, security and welfare, which are the primary purpose of government.
“The world is watching in horror as operatives of APC-controlled security agencies assault, shoot and kill unarmed protesters, with thugs allegedly mobilised by the APC unleashing violence on innocent Nigerians.”
While urging the president to break his silence, address the nation and comfort the populace on the matters that are on their minds, especially the drop in the cost of food and fuel, the PDP added that the price of fuel should not sell for more than N200 per liter in Nigeria, especially with a strategic investment in gas production.
This, the party insists, can be achieved through the clever, open, and creative management of resources, economic potentials, comparative advantage, and refining capacity.
The ICIR reports that the #EndBadGovernance protest began on Thursday August 1 2024 and would last until Saturday August 10 2024, according to the organisers.
Hundreds of placard carrying youths from across Nigeria took to the streets to express their anger against hunger and corruption.
Since the protest began, the pesident has yet to address citizens on the issue.
Meanwhile, the PDP is asking the security services to maintain a high standard of professionalism in their role of providing security and protection to the populace, while calling for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged killing of unarmed Nigerians by certain dishonest security personnel.
The ICIR reports on the first two days of the protest, peaceful protesters were fired with teargas causing injuries to some of them.
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.
#EndBadGovernance protesters at the MKO Stadium in Abuja on Friday, August 2.
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 ICIRreported 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.
AN X user, @teejayy__x has posted a video of some youths protesting on a street, claiming that it shows an ongoing protest in Abuja on July 29.
OUR VERDICT: The claim that the video shows #EndBadGovernance protest in Abuja is MISLEADING; the video showed a protest over the removal of Ado Bayero as Emir of Kano in May 2024.
AN X user, @teejayy__x has posted a video of some youths protesting on a street, claiming that it shows an ongoing protest in Abuja on July 29.
Most of the protesters who were dressed in native attires and caps can be seen in the video wielding cardboard and burning tyres.
“HANGRY, a volatile mix of hunger and anger! As Nigerians mobilize for the #EndBadGovernanceProtest, authorities, particularly law enforcement, must exercise high emotional intelligence to avoid inflaming the situation. With citizens already frustrated. Vid: Live in Abuja today.”
The video has generated over 13,000 views on X as of July 31, 2024.
CLAIM
Video shows #EndBadGovernance protest in Abuja.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING, as the video is a few months old. The video shows scene of a protest held in Kano state over the Kano emirate tussle in May 2024.
The hike in cost of living amid current economic hardship in the country have pushed many Nigerians to plan a nationwide protest scheduled from August 1 to 10.
The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had scrapped a popular fuel subsidy and devalued the local currency, the naira, thus causing a spiral hike in food and commodity prices.
Despite pleadings by some religious and political leaders in the country, many Nigerians still insist on embarking on the protest.
The FactCheckHub subjected keyframes in the video to a Google reverse image search and the result shows that the video had been online since May 2024.
An earlier version of the video was posted here by Leadership newspaper on May 26, 2024. It can also be seen here.
The video shows some youths protesting over the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II and the removal of Aminu Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano.
They protested on the state road close to the Nasarawa residence of the Emir where Aminu Ado Bayero resides, Channels TV reported.
Recall that earlier this year, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero, dethroned Emir of Kano, were locked in a battle for the royal stool of the Kano emirate.
Sanusi was the Emir before he was dethroned in 2020 by the then-governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, over allegations of insubordination. He later appointed Ado Bayero as emir.
Following the emergence of a new Kano governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, after Nigeria’s 2023 general election, the Kano State House of Assembly repealed the law which was used to unseat Sanusi.
Consequently, the Kano governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, announced Sanusi’s reinstatement as Emir after signing the new Kano Emirate Council Law. The development led to a long tussle for months in the state.
Even though the planned protest over economic hardship is yet to commence nationwide, The FactCheckHub has identified various instances where unrelated videos were falsely used to depict the protest.
Recall that The FactCheckHub had earlier debunked a similar video showing some youths holding placards and burning tyres which was shared with a claim that the protest had commenced in Kano. We established that the video is unrelated to the planned August protest.
We also established that another video which was used to depict the planned protest shows a demonstration that had earlier occurred in May 2024 in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
THE VERDICT
The claim that the video shows #EndBadGovernance protest in Abuja is MISLEADING; the video showed a protest over the removal of Ado Bayero as Emir of Kano in May 2024.
A COALITION of 36 organisations has called the attention of relevant government agencies to respect citizens’ rights and immediately cease further disruptions of network services and attempts at future network shutdowns.
In a statement mailed to The ICIR on Friday, August 2, the group noted that internet disruptions created significant obstacles that damage the free flow of information, which might in turn erode trust and increase the likelihood of hostilities and violence.
“We, the undersigned organisations, in the strongest terms possible, condemn the intentional disruption of access to the internet in Nigeria following protests that erupted in several states across the country on the 1st of August, 2024.
“This action constitutes an unacceptable breach of established norms and standards under regional and international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a State party and must be halted forthwith,” the statement read in parts.
It further stated that the weaponisation of internet disruptions and blocking or shutdowns during political unrest would only exacerbate the underlying concerns of citizens.
Besides, the group argued that the shutdowns were against Chapter Four of Nigeria’s Constitution which assures its citizens of their rights to freedom of conscience, expression, assembly and association.
The group therefore urged the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to ensure that all communication channels are kept open without disrupting and impacting quality of access for citizens to be able to communicate seamlessly and access accurate information about the state of things.
Earlier this week, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) directed all mobile operators to immediately reactivate all the lines they had disconnected following the outcry by many telecom consumers over the inability to access their phone lines, particularly MTN users because those lines were allegedly not linked to the National Identity Number (NIN).
Since the #EndBadGovernance protest commenced on Thursday, August 1, there have been internet network disruptions causing slow access to the internet, slow financial transactions, and commerce, among other essential service delivery platforms.
The ICIR reports that many Nigerians are protesting against poor governance and economic hardships caused by President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.
Here’s the list of organisations that signed the statement.
Accountability Lab Nigeria
Africa Cybersecurity Alliance
Africa Media and Information Technology Initiative (AfriMITI)
African Academic Network on Internet Policy (AANOIP.ORG)
African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL)
Afroleadership Cameroon
BONews Service
Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative
Bridges and Hands Foundation
Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID)
Consortium of Ethiopian Human Rights Organizations (CEHRO Ethiopia)
Digicivic Initiative
Digital Grassroots (DIGRA)
E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa (EGIGFA)
Equip Africa Integrated Development Initiative
FactCheck Africa Initiative
Farnnel Women Foundation.
Global Rights
Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria
Institutional and sustainable Development Foundation (ISDF)
Jonction,senegal
KnowledgeHouseAfrica (KHA)
Media and Information Literacy & Intercultural Dialogue Foundation (MILID)
Media Career Development Network
Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
National Roundtable on Business and Human Rights
Paradigm Initiative
Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC)
TechHerNG
Techsocietal
The Abuja School of Social and Political Thought
The African Internet Rights Alliance (AIRA)
Webfala Digital Skills for all Initiative
West Africa ICT Action Network
West African Digital Rights Defenders coalition
World Impact Development Foundation (WIDEF)
PROTESTERS have reassembled at Tudun Ward, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State despite Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s 24-hour curfew in the state.
The ICIR reported the state governor, Abba Yusuf, declared a 24-hour curfew in the state following the looting and vandalism of a complex belonging to the National Communications Commission ((NCC) in the state.
He gave the directive at the Government House, on Thursday, August 1, as part of efforts to contain vandalism and looting trailing the #EndBadGovernance protest.
According to Daily Trust, the governor relaxed the curfew for five hours to allow Muslims to observe Jumaat.
Many youths took advantage of the decision to assemble on the bridge dividing Tudun Wada and Tudun Murtala wards shortly after the prayer.
While some of them held placards, others cheered and sang as they continued a procession.
Similarly, hundreds of youths continued the protest against hardship for the second day in some parts of Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.
The ICIR reported that the insecurity, inflation and hike in the cost of living among other reasons in Nigeria have pushed many citizens to plan a 10-day nationwide protest from August 1 to 10.
Since the President took over power on May 29, 2023, there has been unprecedented inflation, with the market prices of food snowballing and more citizens pushed into poverty.
UNIDENTIFIED youth under the guise of #EndBadGovernance protest have attacked a Red Cross Society’s office in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Pictures and video seen by The ICIR show how the mob invaded the building, burnt the organisation’s land cruiser vehicle, and destroyed an overhead water tank.
The nationwide protest which began on Thursday, August 1, also turned violent in some parts of the state.
Mob masquerading as protesters also set public buildings on fire, and stole food items and empowerment equipment leading to the arrest of about 18 persons.
Channels TV reported that seven mass transit buses were burnt in the Potiskum Local Government Area of the state on Thursday amid the nationwide protests leading to the imposition of a curfew by the government in three local government areas namely Potiskum, Gashua, and Nguru where hoodlums took advantage of the protest to vandalise and loot government and private properties.
The special adviser to the state Governor Mai Mala Buni on Security Matters, Dairy Abdulsalam, urged people in the affected areas to abide by the curfew for peace to reign.
According to him, security agencies have been directed to ensure enforcement and full compliance with the curfew order.
The ICIR reported that the insecurity, inflation and hike in the cost of living among other reasons in Nigeria have pushed many citizens to plan a 10-day nationwide protest from August 1 to 10.
Since the President took over power on May 29, 2023, there has been unprecedented inflation, with the market prices of food snowballing and more citizens pushed into poverty.
THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has appealed to all doctors and other health providers in the city to treat every patient who approaches their facilities with gunshot injuries.
However, they advised that they report such incidents to police stations close to their facilities.
These were contained in a statement by the FCT Police spokesperson, Adeh Josephine, on Friday, August 2, following a clash between the police and some hoodlums around Lugbe, Shehu Musa Yar’adua expressway.
The police claimed their officers engaged the hoodlums in a firefight following distress calls on the activities of the hoodlums who took advantage of the ongoing protests which began on Thursday, August 1, “to embark on a massive robbery and assault of innocent citizens.”
The ICIR had on Thursday night reported how police and thugs clashed in the Lugbe area of the nation’s capital.
Reacting to the clash, the police referred medical practitioners to the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 20017. They advised that any patient who might have suffered a gunshot injury should be treated promptly.
“In line with the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017, it is instructive to note that such patients come under medical emergencies that require urgent attention in order to save the life of the patient, and should be accorded all necessary medical assistance. However, the Police division/formation within the jurisdiction of such hospital or health care facility should be informed to interview such patient so as to ascertain their person/roles in the prevailing security situation in the FCT.
“The Commissioner of Police hereby warns unscrupulous elements who may want to hide under the guise of protest to carry out heinous crimes such as armed robbery, shop breaking, rape, assault on innocent citizens and vandalisation of public property to desist from such as police officers and other security agents have been put on red alert to curtail them and maintain law and order,” the statement added.
The statement further noted that the FCT Police Commissioner, Benneth Igweh, while appreciating residents of the FCT for their continuous cooperation, assured that all relevant measures would be put in place to ensure that the current #EndBadGovernance protests did not cause them losses or damage to their property.
The ICIR reports that the #EndBadGovernace protest has spread to at least 15 states.
The organisers are protesting poor governance and economic hardships caused by President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.
The posts and tweets on the protest carry different hashtags, ranging from #RevolutionNow, #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, #TakeItBack, #DaysofRage and #TinubuMustGo.
