A group of protesters led by Charles ‘Charly Boy’ Oputa on Monday launched a protest in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja against the present government tagged #ResumeOrResign, a message to President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently on medical vacation in London.
Things however turned sour on Tuesday as the Nigerian Police dispersed them using water canons and tear gas.
This was captured in a video shared by Deji Adeyanju. Watch below:
Over 120 policemen attacked about 10 of us. They used teargas, water cannon & dogs but there’s NO GOING BACK.
We continue tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Dz2zAo7htZ
— Adeyanju Deji ?? (@adeyanjudeji) August 8, 2017
According to another video circulating on social media, Charly Boy ‘slumped’ during the protest.
The police has however released a statement explaining why they had to disperse the protesters. Read the statement below:
The FCT Police Command in the early hours of today 8th August, 2017 intervened and prevented breakdown of law and order, and disturbance of public peace in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja by dispersing some miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements that have infiltrated the protest being carried out by a group of concerned Nigerians under the auspices of Our-Mumu-Don-do Movement at Unity Fountain, Maitama, Abuja.
It will be recalled that “Our-Mumu-Don-do Movement” carried out their protest on Monday 7th August, 2017 at the same venue and were accorded necessary Police presence to safe guard public safety and public peace, and protect their rights to freedom of expression, rights to peaceful Assembly and Association, and right to freedom of movement as provided for in sections 39, 40, and 41 of the 1999 constitution as amended.
However, today 8th August, 2017 the same group assembled at the same venue but allowed miscreants, hoodlums and other unruly individuals to infiltrate the protests, who started blocking the major roads adjoining the Unity fountain, obstructing traffic and preventing movements of other innocent citizens from going to their means of livelihood, and thereby exhibiting unruly behaviours and other violent acts very likely to cause the breakdown of law and order and disturbance of public peace. The Police personnel intervened at the point that the concerned Nigerians Group lost control of the crowd and prevented miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements from hijacking the protest to cause mayhem and chaos.
It is pertinent to state here that the FCT Police command is fully aware and recognizes the constitutional rights of every citizen including “ Our Mumu Dondo group” to assemble and move freely in any part of the Federal Capital Territory, but the command will not allow any protest under any guise to turn violent and jeopardise the prevailing peace, law and order currently being enjoyed in the FCT. The command wishes to assure all residents and visitors to the territory of adequate security and protection of lives and property of everyone including those who choose to express their constitutional rights of protest with decorum.
Consequently, members of the public, parents and guardians, religious/opinion leaders and other interest groups are advised to prevail on their children and wards, followers and adherents not to allow themselves to be used by any group to cause disturbance of public peace and break down of law and order.
I hope Charly boy is okay. If anything happens to him or any of the protesters it’s not going to be easy at all. Is this what Nigeria has turned into? Police Killing citizens for expressing their fundamental right of speech. Shame on you Buhari.
Buhari resign, enough of this lawlessness. Nigeria can’t continue with a president who spends majority of his time in the hospital. You are sick, stay home and let the vice president rule. Northerners, Nigeria doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to all. They’ve done nothing but destroy it into shambles.
No words left!
Am done!
So, so, done!
For how long are we going to continue like this?
Nigeria is indeed a lawless country and very corrupt….I hope charly is okay
Same way Bubu’s steward called cops on a man protesting( standing peacefully holding a placard) in London. This country is so stale and Is beginning to ooze of everything negative. I wish charley could sue their ass for all they worth.
With all that has happened, is happening and will eventually happen, I just hope, pray and believe that come 2019, an individual, male or female with vision, wisdom and competence, independent of any political party will emerge to carry the people along with him/her to the greatness that we deserve. No more of those that have been killing us since the 70s. No more Obasanjo, Buhari, Tinubu and the newer minions like Fayose, Saraki, Melaye, Wike, Amaechi etc. #OurMumuDonDo to be honest. I have the opportunity at the palm of my hands to flee this country but I still have hope. Hope that this country will rise again. Hope that my children will grow up in a New Nigeria. Many people may scoff or laugh at this but um, lemme just wait till 2019/20 at least. Hundreds of millions of others don’t have the luxury of running away like me so we shall wait together. God, I just pray. History must not repeat itself in 2019. It just can’t. I wish Charly Boy quick recovery. Him and his boys did not deserve such inhumane treatment from the Police (another set of fools). Nigeria is a failed state. Now we need someone or a group of visionaries to rise fro the failures of our so called “heroes past” and “heroes present”.
Baby gurl are you kidding me? You came to this world alone and you will depart alone. How can you have the chance for a better life, better opportunities, saner climes and possibly a better future and be carrying Nigeria on your head? The same Nigeria whose own leader abandoned?
Indeed those wey get cap no get head. Those wey get head no get cap. “We shall wait together” ?. Do you think if they had your opportunities they would wait with you? I would do anything to get out of here!
Nigerian hardness is a reality for us all, but you still sound like a Nigerian doing her part to create a better future and I want to encourage you in this spirit… Do your best first, and if it doesn’t work, feel free to move. God bless u as u do so. may more like minds arise where weakened ones don’t dare.
@Thelma
But it’s her choice. Hope is a personal thing, and two people looking at the same situation will not necessarily see it alike. Baby gurl, follow your mind. If you choose to leave, all good, and if you don’t it’s also all good.
I wish Charly Boy a quick recovery. At least he has taken a stand and I respect him for that, unlike Tuface who chickened out. Posterity will be the judge.
As for Buhari, Nigerians are simply getting what they deserve by voting such a person into power. Next time we will shine our eyes and use our votes wisely.
When he had tears in his eyes, crying, that touched me. Imagine if Osinbajo was the sick one. the Northerners would have made him relinquish that post and turned us all to fried meat. This country is a mess…listen and watch the Mandators “Rat Race”‘..sad nothing is changing. we have become accustomed to suffering and smiling. To the people who damaged this country…GOD will repay you appropriately. As for us, we should keep trying to do good in our little way and work towards a better country even with the odds.
Its only God that can help us!
Sai Baba!!!
Clown (but if you are just being cynical, my apologies, please)
Lol. I only remembered the ‘sai babas’ and ‘masu gudus’ of that year. Where they at now?
Charly Boy is in his 70s and he’s fighting for us. Where are the young ones? It’s sad that we don’t even have any young human rights lawyers, most lawyer who graduate are into Oil and Gas or Real Estate. The youth of today..smh! This is the worst generation to be born or exist in!
Where are you?
where were you
Its God that will punish Buhari and all those foolish leaders that are useless in this country…….that was the same thing they did to we student then when we went to protest about last year jamb and the selling of university form when jamb exam is not over… The head of the innocent youth will not give our useless leaders peace until they do what’s right… ourmumudondo! Charlyboy the Lord will bless you and strengthen you for us in Jesus name
Where are the youths in this country? Our artists? Is it just to sing and make your own money you all are after? You don’t care about the less privilege? Ehn #Davido #wizkid #2face #olamide #tiwa savage #dija #simi #korede Bello #mayorkun #all of you
Times like this, we remember Fela, Gani, Chidi Ubani, etc.
Just ten protesters…
O ga o