Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Abuja Protesters

  • [Video] #EndSARS: Hoodlums Set Ablaze Cars in Abuja

    [Video] #EndSARS: Hoodlums Set Ablaze Cars in Abuja

    As EndSARS protest against police brutality and extra-judicial killings in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) nears two weeks on Monday, some hoodlums have burnt down about 50 cars at Apo Mechanic village in Abuja.

    Thugs, alleged to be sponsored for the distruption of ongoing agitation for a comprehensive police reform stormed the area and set ablaze cars displayed for sale at a dealer stand.

    According to reports, the hoodlums had attempted to attack peaceful protesters at Apo during their rally on Monday morning. However, the protesters overpowered and repelled them

    It was gathered that after the initial failed attempt to attack the demonstrators, the hoodlums reinforced but on getting to the scene, the protesters had dispersed.

    Reports have it that the hoodlums who were angered when they didn’t meet the protesters, decided to vent their frustration by setting ablaze about 50 cars at a dealership stand located at Jesus Avenue, along Apo Mechanic Village.

    A report by Vanguard stated that those around the scene of the incident said the thugs vandalised other valuables in the area and also harassed people in the area.

    On Monday night, amateur videos that captured several cars on fire trended across social media platforms.

    Vangaurd reported that an eyewitness, who spoke anonymously for security reasons, said: “The hoodlums began the attack around 3:30pm. My colleague and I were driving home when we saw people running helter-skelter near the mechanic village.

    “We had to park our car on the premises of Apo Shoprite for safety reasons and run for our lives.

    “We also saw those who set the cars ablaze brandishing machetes and small knives to intimidate and scare the people away.”

    The eyewitness added that some policemen were in the area while the mayhem lasted. But, they were too few to stop the hoodlums.

    Video:

  • #EndSARS : Police Fire Teargas At Protesters In Abuja

    #EndSARS : Police Fire Teargas At Protesters In Abuja

    Police officers have fired teargas at #EndSARS protesters in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    The #EndSARS protesters who have been on the streets for about two weeks now were intercepted by the security agents at the John Kennedy Street as they attempt to march through the back gate of the Presidential villa.

    Reports stated that the police officers fired tear gas at the protesters in an attempt to deter them from advancing further.

    #EndSARS Protesters in Abuja defy security agents to continue demonstration. Photo: Channels TV.

    The protesters had gathered at Power House in Asokoro on Monday to continue to drive home their demands for a lasting solution to end police brutality and extra-judicial killings at once.

    Earlier in the day, soldiers mounted checkpoints along the Mararaba/Nyanya road linking Nasarawa State to the nation’s capital, Abuja.

    READ ALSO:

    #EndSARS: Lagos Swears-In 7-member Judicial Panel into SARS brutality

    Channels TV reported that some passengers were forced to walk as some commercial vehicles stayed off the roads for fear of being stuck in traffic while the popular aya roundabout is occupied by officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC).

    Similarly, in order to protect important national assets, police officers were stationed in front of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headquarters with Armoured Personnel Carrier and water cannons.

  • [Videos] #EndSARS: Thugs Allegedly Sponsored, Attack Peaceful protesters in Abuja

    [Videos] #EndSARS: Thugs Allegedly Sponsored, Attack Peaceful protesters in Abuja

    As the peaceful #EndSARs protest continued in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital on Wednesday morning, demonstrators were ambushed in an attack by thugs alleged to have been sponsored by actors against the agitations by Nigerian youths, which has now transformed into a movement demanding a shift from the status quo to accountability in the nation’s leadership.

    READ ALSO:

    How #EndSARS Protest Violently Leads to Death of a Police Inspector Killed, One Bystander and Critically Injures Two Officers in Lagos

    According to eyewitnesses, the thugs were seen with sticks, cutlasses, and daggers attacking the peaceful protesters and destroying their cars, The Guardian reported.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CGUwJZjjQIe/?igshid=66w3dn26537l

    “Someone had this(dagger) on his right hand with a cutlass, we had to run after him to remove the cutlass from his hand he almost struck one of our guys with this (dagger),” an eyewitness said on Tuesday.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CGU27BCjbEK/?igshid=1pxq6o1g4u7g4

    “This is an exhibit, I am going hand it over to the security.”

    Nigerian youths took to the streets last week to protest against harrasement, extortion, extra-judicial killings and gross impunity perpetrated by men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), especially the notoriously perceived Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), a tactical unit of the state security agency that has now been disbanded by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, last Sunday.

    The protests have been holding in different parts of Nigeria with the demand for total reform of the nation’s police architecture.

    READ ALSO:

    Police Storms Baby Factory in Cross Rivers, Rescues Pregnant Women, Children

    Some of the crimes said to be committed by officers of the defunct SARS include execution of innocent citizens and suspects without trial, kidnapping for ransom, extortion and intimidation.

    Despite pronouncements by President Muhammadu Buhari and IGP Adamu on disbanding the SARS squad and promise of reforms, Nigerian youths are adamant and not yielding until there are concrete and convincing steps that true reforms have statretd.

    The mistrust is not far fetched as the Nigerian Government had in the past made empty promises on multiple occasions to reform SARS and make the squad more accountable.

    Tobiloba Kolawole