The Police in Abuja have fired tear gas to prevent #endbadgovernance protesters in the nation’s capital from gaining entry into the Eagles Square.
Protesters in their numbers on Thursday shunned an order by the Federal Capital Territory which restricted the protest to the MKO Stadium in the city.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji gave the order on Wednesday while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application brought before him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
In the exparte application argued by his counsel, Ogwu Onoja, the FCT Minister had applied for an order of interim injunction restraining the five leaders of the protesting groups from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, streets, offices, and public premises within the FCT between August 1 to August 10, or any other day thereafter, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
He also applied for another order of interim injunction mandating the security agencies to prevent the protesting leaders from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, offices, or public premises within the FCT between August 1 and 10, pending the hearing of his motion on notice.
The minister who said that the Federal Government was not averse to the protest, claimed that intelligence and security reports reaching him indicated that some elements within the leadership of the protesters intend to capitalize on the planned protest to cause havoc and irreparable damages to public facilities and blocking of roadways to prevent movement of persons and vehicles and disturb public peace.
He claimed that when he contacted the security agencies to ensure that the planned protest did not degenerate into criminality and disturbance of public peace and order, he was told that they were not well equipped to manage any crisis that may arise from the planned protest at short notice.
READ ALSO: Court restricts protesters in Abuja to MKO Abiola stadium
In his ruling, Justice Oriji, who recognized the rights of the protesters to embark on the protest, however, restricted them to the stadium given the genuine fears expressed by the minister.
“In the light of the above, the court considers it appropriate and expedient to grant an order under the omnibus or general prayer to ensure that the rights of the protesters are guaranteed and that the protest does not negatively or adversely affect the rights of other citizens to move about and to ensure that properties and other public facilities are not destroyed,” the judge held.
He therefore ordered the 1st to 5th respondents to “use the Moshood Abiola Stadium” only for the protest.
Meanwhile, the court ordered the service of processes in the suit as well as the confinement order on the respondents by placing the same on the newspapers.
Defendants in the suit are Omoyele Sowore, Damilare Adenola, Adama Ukpabi, Tosin Harsogba, persons unknown, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Director General of the State Security Service, Director General, Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff as 1st to 12th respondents.
The protesters, however, marched to the Eagles Square which they initially planned to use to make their voices heard.
As they approached the venue, the police fired tear gas at them, creating a wall of tear gas smoke, which prevented the crowd from moving forward.
It remains unclear at this time what the protesters will do next.
Some of them who spoke to Channels TV insisted on exercising their rights and condemned the actions of the police.
They also called on the government to meet their demands.
Credible News.ng
