Police disperse a peaceful protest near Eagle Square using teargas. Get the details on what prompted this drastic measure.
Peaceful protesters situated in the outer perimeter of Eagle Square’s Three Arms Zone were subjected to tear gas canisters that were discharged by Nigeria Police armed officers on Thursday.
The core of Nigeria’s locus of authority encompasses various important buildings such as the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Supreme Court, Federal Secretariat and Head of Service.
At first, the demonstrators peacefully assembled to call for an end to hunger and draw attention towards the widespread occurrence of ulcers among Nigerians.
However, they expressed skepticism towards the police’s forceful reaction since these same security personnel had previously safeguarded a pro-government organization.
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Initially disbanded at 8 am, the demonstrators rallied once again to petition President Bola Tinubu for redress. However, journalists were met with a teargas canister fired by a police officer while attempting to interview certain protesters around 10:30 am which led to pandemonium as people scattered in different directions.
Nonetheless, amid this commotion and confusion, a brave young woman holding her baby stood up against the law enforcement agents daring them to kill mother and child alike.
The police’s constant use of teargas impeded the search for the woman’s identity. Amidst this chaos, Ayodele Olawande – Minister of State for Youth Development – arrived to address the demonstrators.
Despite initial noise with ‘hunger dey’ chants overpowering his voice, he eventually quieted and pacified them by positioning himself as a comrade who had actively joined various protests in the past.
Olawande clarified that he did not come to engage in a confrontation or discourage protesting, as it is well within individuals’ rights. He emphasized his extensive experience of attending 100-500 protests.
Despite Olawande’s intervention, police persisted with teargas canister firing; nonetheless, he pledged to broach the matter with law enforcement officials regarding their use of such equipment.
The scenario highlights the conflict between civilians rallying against financial difficulties and security personnel’s efforts to uphold peace in a significantly delicate district of the city.
