The military in Nigeria has threatened to step in if the violence associated with the ongoing national protests under the hashtag #EndBadGovernancelnNigeria intensifies and is reported in other states. During a press conference in Abuja, General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, declared that the military would intervene to curb the theft and violence occurring in certain regions of the nation. At least 17 people are thought to have died as a result of the violence that broke out in the states of Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna, and Jigawa on Thursday during the #EndBadGovernance rally. Banks and businesses were closed, and main highways were empty.
Friday’s demonstrations went on as demonstrators and police fought around the nation. The CDS stated that although he was aware of the demonstrators’ “grievances” on the severe economic circumstances facing the nation, they needed to be understanding. He urged Nigerians to stick together through “these trying times” and issued a warning against property vandalism and looting. The defence minister called the looting of property during the countrywide demonstrations “crazy.” He emphasised that the security services, including the military, “will not fold” and “allow this country to be destroyed.”
“The entire security apparatus, including the armed forces, will not tolerate this situation continuing. We wish to issue a warning to those who are unyielding and unwilling to listen: we will not stand by and watch while this nation is destroyed.”We will act, and when we act, we will act in a professional manner. Anyone found out will be brought before the court and dealt with accordingly.A number of individuals think that they can only plunder, steal, and destroy via this media. And that’s exactly what they attempted to do yesterday, but the majority of them who broke into locations to steal have been captured and will be prosecuted accordingly.
“We are also going behind to ensure that we also identify those that are involved; there are individuals who are sponsoring them, pushing them to do this, we are going after them,” he added.
Police disperse Abuja protesters, shoot hoodlums
When the demonstration started at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, protesters refused to be confined to a spot as directed by an order from the FCT High Court. They also disregarded police warnings against holding a procession. Our correspondents reported that some Nigerians, including journalists who had reassembled for the protest on Friday, were injured after police attempted to disperse them in Abuja.
Protesters were ambushed close to the National Hospital area and scattered with tear gas and live ammunition as tensions increased and they chose to go on a walk. When the gunfire erupted, five injured protestors claimed to have leaped into the bush. After learning of the police harassment. The defiant demonstrators regrouped a short while after being subjected to tear gas, pledging not to yield until the Federal Government complied with their demands.
A demonstrator going by the moniker Tari denounced the police, stating that the group would not be coerced. Michael Zayi, a different protestor, claimed that the issue would not have gotten worse if the President had paid attention to Nigerians sooner. He insisted that despite the use of force, protestors were dedicated to calling for better lives for all citizens. However, in a statement released on Friday, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command instructed medical staff and hospitals to notify the closest police station of any patient presenting with gunshot wounds. The spokesman for the command, Josephine Adeh, stated that several thugs were involved in “a fierce gun duel” with police, and many of them managed to flee with gunshot wounds.
He said that the thugs used the hunger demonstration as an excuse to attack and extort innocent residents near the Lugbe end of the Federal Capital Territory. Adeh disclosed that the police were informed of the event by the locals. “The FCT Command hereby places all medical personnel in and around the Federal Capital Territory on high alert to the possibility of receiving victims with gunshot wounds following distress calls about the activities of some hoodlums who took advantage of the ongoing protests, which began on Thursday, August 1, 2024, to block the Lugbe end of the Shehu Musa Yaradua Motorway at about 10pm, embarking on massive robbery and assault of innocent citizens, which led to an exchange of fire with police.
According to Adeh, the request was made by the command in compliance with the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act of 2017. Bennett Igweh, the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory, had issued a warning against committing crimes in the name of protest.