Protesters reconvene after tear gas attack in Abuja

The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters have reconvened at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja after they were dispersed by police officers around the Berger Bridge in the nation’s capital.

The protesters were chanting ‘Hunger dey o’, meaning there’s hunger, before the policemen dispersed them forcefully, including using tear gas, on the second day of the nationwide protest on Friday, August 2, 2024.

Immediately after arriving at the stadium, the protesters chanted that they would not back down until the federal government met their demands.

Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged the residents of Abuja to obey the court order restricting protests to the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

Wike made the call after the FCT Security Council meeting in Abuja on Thursday, August 1.

The meeting was to review developments following the commencement of the 10-day nationwide protest.

The former governor of Rivers State enjoined protesters to confine themselves to the stadium in accordance with the Court Order obtained on Wednesday, July 31.

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He noted that an intelligence report revealed that some unidentified persons would be coming out on Friday to destroy properties in the guise of protest.

Such action, Wike said, may lead to loss of lives and warned that security agencies will not allow it.

The minister said: “You are aware that there was a Court Order as of Wednesday.

“The court did not stop the protest, but the court said that the protest must be confined to a particular area, which is Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

“That security agencies should allow the protesters to converge at the stadium and talk to the world through the press.

“We believe, as a democratic society, while you want to carry out your protest, you should do it according to the rule of law.”

Wike expressed concern that the protesters tried to move to Eagle Square against the court order, saying: “We think that this country belongs to all of us; we think that we must work according to the rule of law, and working according to the rule of law is obeying Court Order.”

He also reiterated the plea to residents of Abuja to shun the protest in order to discourage miscreants from causing mayhem and destroying properties in the FCT.

The Star