• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BusinessDay

June 12: Police arrest, shoot gas canisters to disperse protesters

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Personnel of the Nigerian police deployed at Ojota, Lagos State, ahead of the anticipated June 12 protest is determined to stop protesters from exercising their civic rights aimed at ending bad governance.

The protest started at Mile 12 and progressed to the Gani Fawehinmi Park in Ojota—the original venue.

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The police, however, began mounting pressure on the group. The aim was to restrict them to a spot directly opposite the Park.

When that failed, they shot multiple gas canisters at the protesters and shot multiple rounds in the air.

This dispersed the protesters. But the police went in pursuit and made some arrests.

At the time of filing this report, individual protesters are speaking to the press, and gradually rebuilding.

It is difficult to say whether the protests would last longer than the first attempts which ended within minutes as police presence is still strong.