Hoodlums wielding planks violently dispersed #EndBadGovernance protesters at Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota, Lagos State, on Sunday morning.
The protesters, who had gathered to voice their dissatisfaction with the current administration, were forced to flee as the hoodlums launched a fierce attack.
The protest, which had been relatively peaceful, took a violent turn around 10:30 am when a major disagreement broke out among the organizers.
A lawyer known simply as JP attempted to address the protesters, urging them to leave the protest grounds following President Bola Tinubu’s recent address to the nation.
However, another faction led by 70-year-old Adegboyega Adeniji of Peace Action Transformation insisted on continuing the demonstration until their demands were met.
The police intervened, speaking to the small group of protesters to persuade them to leave.
Despite this, the situation escalated when a group of hoodlums, allegedly sponsored, stormed the area from the other side of the road.
By 11:30 am, these hoodlums had returned, aggressively chasing the protesters away. The police subsequently occupied the protest grounds to prevent further clashes.
Before the violent dispersal, the protesters had been chanting solidarity songs, expressing their discontent with President Tinubu’s address.
They argued that the President had failed to address the core issues they raised, despite acknowledging the efforts of his administration.
The protesters were particularly focused on issues of governance and economic hardship, which have been at the heart of the nationwide demonstrations.
Increased Security Presence
Earlier in the day, security agents had restricted the protesters to the designated protest ground at Gani Fawehinmi Park, preventing them from holding a procession beyond that point.
The protesters complied without incident, returning to the designated area
However, the arrival of the hoodlums and the subsequent violent dispersal underscored the volatile nature of the ongoing protests.
The nationwide protests, which began on August 1, have entered their fourth day, with demonstrations against hunger and economic hardship continuing across various states.
From the outset, the protests have faced heavy-handed responses from security forces.
In the first three days, police used tear gas to disperse protesters, actions that have been widely condemned by civil society organizations.
The situation in Ojota on Sunday is reflective of the broader tension and unrest gripping the nation as citizens demand better governance and economic reforms.
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