Friday, 28 February 2014

Yobe Killings - Police Disperse Protesters in Abuja

Police officers yesterday in Abuja dispersed youths protesting the killing of school children in Yobe state.

The protest was organised by a group identified as Nigerian Youths Protest against Boko Haram, headed by Mr Ibrahim Wala. About 50 persons had gathered at the Unity Fountain Park on Thursday morning to express their outrage over the recent killing and abduction of students by members of the Boko Haram sect in the north-eastern part of the country. The youths carried placards and sang solidarity songs. 
 Godswill Okoronkwo one of the protesters said that the protesters came together through social media sites like facebook, twitter and BlackBerry Chat.  
Mr. Wala, who spoke to newsmen as the protest took off, said hundreds of armed police men arrived at the venue and dispersed the gathering with teargas. He alleged that the police arrested 10 of the protesters and briefly detained them.

The police allegedly beat some of the protesters and used other riot dispersal techniques to chase them out of Unity Fountain.

Mr Wala further alleged that some journalists were molested in the process.

Mr. Okoronkwo explained that, "all we wanted to do is show the relevant authorities that we are fed up with the senseless killings in the northeastern part of the country."

No comments:

Post a Comment