CITIZENS COMPASS— A male protester on Thursday, stripped himself naked in Lagos State, as the #endbadgovernanceinnigeria protest kicked off across the country.
The protest was organised by hundreds of human rights activists, civil society organisations, and Nigerian youths.
Citizens Compass reported that the protest was peaceful in Lagos as the protesters converged on Ikeja Under Bridge and marched to Ketu/Ojota, along Ikorodu Road.
Some of the protesters also converged on the Lekki- Tollgate despite the heavy presence of armed Policemen who later dispersed them.
At the convergence areas, the protesters declared security operatives could not intimidate them or stop the protests as they insisted on asking the government to listen to their agenda.
As the protesters marched from Ikeja Under Bridge to Ojota baring placards and chanting solidarity songs, a male protester stripped himself naked not minding the presence of the opposite sex.
He was seen holding his dress tightly, raising it up as he chanted solidarity songs to pass across a message of hunger to the appropriate authorities.
A video from the scene went viral and attracted reactions from many Nigerians.
In Abuja, the protesters came out in their numbers very early in the morning and hit the streets including the Eagle Square, Federal Secretariat, National Stadium, and suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
They chanted ‘We dey hungry’, and ‘end bad governance’, and were armed with placards and banners with different inscriptions.
In Niger State, Six youths were reportedly dead while several others were injured as the protesters marched to Suleja which turned violent when police tried to disperse the protesters.
The protests sprang up at about 11 a.m., but things escalated when the anti-riot police, led by the Police Area Commander, tried to disperse them.
Footage from the scene captured police using teargas canisters to disperse the protesters, who retaliated by throwing pebbles, sticks, and other objects, resulting in the vandalization of a police vehicle with number plate, NPF 9102C.
Niger State Police Command in a statement, said it has arrested eleven violent protesters for allegedly attempting to set ablaze Tafa Local Government Secretariat during the nationwide protests.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said some hoodlums taking advantage of the protests partially burnt part of the secretariat and looted valuable items.
He explained that at about 9:30 am, some miscreants from the Tafa area of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State and Hayin-Diko of Gurara Council Area of Niger stormed the secretariat located in Sabon-Wuse along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
He noted that they vandalised and partially set ablaze the secretariat, burnt two vehicles as well as vandalised two others.
In Delta, #EndBadGovernance protesters armed with placards with different inscriptions defied the downpour in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area, and barricaded the East-West road at its Ughelli axis to express their agitation.
Anambra State was calm as shops, markets, and business centers were open to normal activities.
In Kaduna State, the protest was hijacked by hoodlums who went on a looting and burning spree.
They were said to have vandalised the offices of the State Traffic and Law Environmental Authority (KASTLEA) and the Investment Promotions Agency (KADIPA) looting shops and also set a police Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) on ablaze.
Reacting, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun condemned the mass uprising, looting, destruction of properties, and attempts to take over government buildings by some hoodlums.
He disclosed this in a statement signed by the Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who said the IGP had placed his men on red alert.
He said Four people were dead and 34 others were in critical condition in Borno.
“Today in Borno State, we recorded one incident of explosion which occurred in the crowd of protesters killing four instantly and severely injuring 34 others, many of whom are presently on the danger list.”
