In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, police officers forcefully dispersed a gathering of protesters who had assembled to mark October 1 with demonstrations against rising insecurity, poverty, and the adverse effects of the Tinubu administration’s policies. Eyewitness accounts indicate that the police were accompanied by suspected political thugs, who obstructed media personnel from documenting the events.
This crackdown seems to align with earlier warnings from the state police, cautioning residents against activities deemed disruptive during Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day celebrations.
The protest was set to occur at Pleasure Park along the busy Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway, but as protesters began to gather, heavily armed police arrived at the scene. The officers, donning combat gear, moved in quickly, joined by local youths believed to be political thugs, to forcibly disperse the crowd and secure the area.
Despite the initial setback, the protesters attempted to regroup in the Rumuola area, only to be met again with police resistance, leading to another dispersal. Following these events, law enforcement has maintained a strong presence in both locations and other areas considered potential protest sites.
As of now, protesters have not been able to regroup at any known location to continue their demonstrations.
Earlier reports from SaharaReporters noted that many young Nigerians participating in the nationwide protests have expressed frustration over what they perceive as oppressive tactics by the Tinubu government, while politicians allegedly continue to misappropriate public funds without consequence. One protester in Abuja highlighted the government’s attempts to stifle dissent, stating, “The Nigerian government wants to depress, suppress, and oppress the people to the point where they fear expressing their fundamental rights. Today, we are here to show that our voices cannot be silenced.”
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