On Thursday, fully armed officers of the Nigeria Police fired teargas canisters at peaceful protesters near the outer cordon of Eagle Square in the Three Arms Zone, Abuja.
The Three Arms Zone, where Eagle Square is located, is the seat of power, housing the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Supreme Court, Federal Secretariat, and Head of Service.
The protesters, who had been largely peaceful, demanded an end to hunger, highlighting that ulcer has become a common illness among Nigerians. They questioned why the police would shoot at them after providing security for a pro-government group just days earlier.
Dispersed around 8 a.m., the protesters regrouped, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene. At about 10:30 a.m., as journalists attempted to interview some protesters, a policeman fired a canister in their direction. While many fled, a young woman with a baby confronted the police, daring them to kill her and her child.
Earlier, a mild drama unfolded when the Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, arrived to address the protesters. His attempts to speak were initially drowned out by chants of “hunger dey.” After explaining that he had participated in over 500 protests and expressing solidarity, the protesters calmed down to listen.
“I am not here to fight you. I am not here to ask you not to protest. It is your right. Like I said, I have been to over 100-500 protests,” Olawande said.
