Police fire tear gas at residents ‘protesting bad governance’ in Cross River

The police in Calabar, Cross River state, have fired tear gas at some protesters who were demanding improved governance.

The incident happened at Rabbana roundabout and Atekong junction on Saturday morning.

As Nigeria celebrated Democracy Day, protesters stormed major cities nationwide to demand better governance and improved living condition for citizens.

In Calabar, the protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as, ‘Ayade pay owed salaries and pensions’, ‘Ayade change your style of governance’, among others.

Some of them also carried ‘Revolution Now’ placards as they asked President Muhammadu Buhari to resign from office.

But the police officers present at the scene fired tear gas at them after failed attempts to disperse the rally.

One of the protesters, Mr Dominic Akan, one of the protesters, told NAN that the rally was going on peacefully when the police targeted them.

Akpan said: “We don’t know why security operatives used tear gas on us during the peaceful protest. We are protesting against bad governance and things that have gone bad in the state.

“Our fathers and mothers have been owed pensions and gratuities for a long period of time, our roads are bad; these are some of the things that we need the governor to address urgently.”

Igri Ewa, police spokesman in the state, said the security agency will “not tolerate any unlawful gathering, protest or procession.”

Ben Ayade, the state governor, had earlier warned against any form of procession ahead of the Democracy Day event.

Christain Ita, his spokesman, had said in a statement: “The Cross River state government wishes to remind the general public that the ban on public procession and gathering in the state is still very much in force,” the statement reads.

“Due to the prevailing security situation in the country, the government will not permit any procession or gathering under any guise on June 12 which is designated as Democracy Day.”