Pandemonium As Security Operatives Fire Shots, Teargas At Peaceful Protesters In Abuja

A viral video trending on social media shows protesters running for safety as police officers fired shots and teargas at the growing crowd gathered at the Utako area in Abuja, the country’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), waving the Nigerian Green-White-Green flag and banners with various inscription

The demonstration, tagged #FearlessInOctober, saw hundreds of Nigerians take to the streets on Tuesday to demand an end to bad governance.

Organized by civil society groups, activists, and concerned citizens, the protest voiced frustrations with Nigeria’s ongoing political, economic, and social issues.

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The event also revived the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria movement from two months ago.

Led by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, protesters marched through the capital, holding signs with messages like “Enough is Enough” and “We Demand Accountability.”

In Lagos, the protesters gathered at the Ikeja Underbridge.

The protest, however, is being closely monitored by a large contingent of security personnel, including policemen, officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The protesters are currently chanting solidarity songs, displaying placards bearing inscriptions such as “Reverse electricity tariff now, “End all attacks on democratic rights”, “Reduce petrol price to N197 per liter; end scarcity”, and “Profit soars while people suffer.”

The two demonstrations are synonymous in themes as aggrieved young people demand a reversal of petrol subsidy removal and electricity tariff increase.

Tinubu’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of the foreign exchange rates which many Nigerians believed were responsible for the unimaginable inflation and soaring living and energy costs in the country.

Energy costs have more than tripled since Tinubu took up the reins of government on May 29, 2023. Petrol prices per litre jumped up from around N200 to over N1,000 whilst electricity tariff quadrupled, impacting the manufacturing sector and the pocket of Nigerian households.