Protest ends abruptly as security operatives shoot at journalists, protesters in Abuja

The protest against economic hardship at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, came to an abrupt end on Saturday after security agents fired at protesters and journalists.

Security operatives had insisted that the protesters carry out their demonstration inside the stadium — a directive the protesters had rejected since the nationwide marches began on August 1.

Addressing protesters at the stadium before the shooting, Ishaku Ishaku, the deputy commissioner of police in charge of operations, dismissed claims that his men fired tear gas canisters at demonstrators on Thursday and Friday.

“The court order is very clear. The court has confined protesters to the premises of the Moshood Abiola Stadium,” he said.

“If they are law-abiding, they should obey the court order. Well, we have not tear-gassed anybody within the premises of the national stadium.”

The protesters refuted his claim and continued waving placards bearing their demands outside the stadium.

The police fired tear gas canisters to disperse the demonstrators after the departure of DCP Ishaku.

A team of masked men, suspected to be operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), then arrived in the area.

They resorted to shooting at persons in the vicinity, including TheCable and Premium Times journalists, damaging the vehicle of one of the reporters.

More than 14 people have been killed across Nigeria since the #EndBadGovernance protest commenced.

Amnesty International has asked the government to probe the killings and “highhandedness” of security operatives.