Politics

EndBadGovernance: Situation Reports From Rivers , Abuja, Kaduna , Oyo , Katsina, Lagos etc

 

Protesters in Osogbo, Osun State, observed the Jumat prayers at the protest grounds, while others formed a protective shield around them

The two Rakat prayers, led by one of the protest leaders, had Muslims at the Olaiya barricade joining at 1 p.m.

Protesters were also at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The State Police Conmissioner CP Tunji Disu later arrived the protest venue where he addressed the protesters

In Lagos Protesters in Ojota are demanding that the President, Bola Tinubu, address them directly.

Also, they sang: “How many people Police go kill, dem go kill us tire” (How many of us will the Police kill?).

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has announced the arrest of 32 persons for vandalising shops and other buildings on the first day of the nationwide protests against bad governance.

The National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement issued Friday in Abuja.

Accordingly, he said, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, has placed all zonal commanders, heads of formations, and state commandants across the 36 States and FCT on red alert.

Normalcy seems to have returned to the Ibadan metropolis, Oyo State, as commuters and citizens are going about their businesses Friday, Vanguard observed.

The day one of the nationwide protest witnessed a sit-at-home in Ibadan, and businesses were closed.

A detachment of fully armed men of the Nigerian Police on Friday morning forcefully dispersed a group of protesters around the Berger Bridge in Abuja.

The protesters were chanting ‘Hunger dey oo, hunger dey ooo” (There’s hunger, there’s hunger), before the officers dispersed them forcefully, including using tear gas.

Some passers-by and motorists, who were caught off-guard, could be heard accusing the Police of high-handedness.

An Abuja high court had earlier granted an injunction seeking to confine protesters to the MKO Abiola National Stadium.

Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, had on Thursday night urged protesters to obey the court order.

But leaders of the protesters say they had not been served with a copy of the said order.

On Day 2 of the #EndBadGovernance nationwide strike, Abuja, the nation’s capital has become quiet.

A visit to MKO Abiola Stadium and the Eagle Square which witnessed the main activities yesterday reported that they were empty and quiet.

There were neither protesters nor pro-government demonstrators in any of the locations.    Only security forces and armoured tanks were seen in those places.

Additionally,  troops of the Nigerian Army, police, and other security forces have continued to patrol the entire city, ostensibly to prevent a repeat of  yesterday’s experience.

The Katsina State Police Command has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Dutsinma Local Government Area and a 7pm to 7am curfew on the rest of the state. The directive, which takes immediate effect, also bans all forms of protest within the state.

ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, the Command spokesperson, attributed the decision to the need to maintain public safety and prevent further escalation of violence, vandalism, and looting.

He disclosed that over 50 suspects have been arrested in connection with the destruction of public and private properties, with authorities vowing to apprehend all those involved.

ASP Sadiq debunked the circulating rumour about police brutality and fatalities, stating that “there is no record of any fatalities resulting from police actions as of the time of these reports.” He emphasised in the statement that the command officers exercised maximum restraint and professionalism in handling the violent protesters.

The Command appealed to parents and guardians to monitor their children’s and urged young people to resist pressure to participate in violent activities. They warned that curfew violators would face stiff penalties.

ASP Sadiq said warned that the command, in collaboration with sister security agencies, will be conducting regular patrols to ensure total compliance with the curfew, as anyone found violating the curfew will be dealt with decisively.

The Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has commended protesters for the peaceful demonstration in the state on Thursday even as he stressed the need for continued peace and calm in d state.

Sanwo-Olu made the remark in a statement released through the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso while making his accessment on the protest.

The Police in Kaduna State has dealt with miscreants who hijacked procession of youths and other citizens on the first day of the End Bad Governance protest, and vandalised State Government, private and police assets.

Among those arrested was a man dressed in police camouflage uniform, and others wielding dangerous weapons.

The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, CP Audu Ali Dabigi called on parents and guardians to.restrain their wards from involving in violent acts, and assured that his operatives would continue to maintain law and order by not allowing criminals breathing space.

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