Nigerian police used tear gas and live ammunition Tuesday to disperse protesters participating in the #FearlessInOctober demonstration against economic hardship and poverty in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing police officers firing tear gas canisters and ammunition at peaceful demonstrators in the Jabi and Utako areas of the capital. Videos shared on social media showed protesters fleeing to safety.
The protest, which drew thousands of participants, was part of a nationwide call to action against policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration that critics say have exacerbated economic difficulties for many Nigerians.
“We are buying fuel at 1,000 naira and you expect us not to come out and protest. What are we saying – we are hungry,” one protester told reporters before the police intervention.
Demonstrators carried banners with slogans such as “Bad Governance has ended the dreams of Nigerian youths, end it now” and “Enough is Enough – Revolution Now.”
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, convener of the #RevolutionNow Movement, had called for the October 1st protest, citing concerns over “hardships, privations, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, and poverty” under the current administration.
“Protests or revolts are the only tool that a people have to voice their opposition to the anti-people policies of their government,” Sowore stated in a social media post Monday evening. “It is a right that is enshrined in everyone’s gene.”
The police response to the protest has raised concerns about the right to peaceful assembly in Nigeria. Human rights organizations have called for an investigation into the use of force against demonstrators.
The #FearlessInOctober protest reflects growing frustration among Nigerians over rising living costs, including a recent surge in fuel prices following the removal of subsidies.
Nigerian authorities have not yet commented on the police actions or the protesters’ demands.
