Nigerians Protest High Cost of Life, Police Arrest Over 700

According to journalists on the scene, Nigerian security personnel fired bullets and tear gas at a number of journalists and demonstrators during demonstrations over the country’s economic problems in Abuja.

It was not clear whether the missiles fired at journalists were rubber or real ammunition. However, the Associated Press witnessed the aftermath of the incident, which included bullet holes in one of the journalists’ car and live rounds at the protest scene.

At least 50 people were arrested during Saturday’s protests in Abuja, according to Amnesty International’s Nigeria office. Nearly 700 demonstrators have been arrested across the country.

The protests, which are now in their third day, have injured nine officers, according to the Nigerian police.

The continuous demonstrations are mostly in response to Nigeria’s worst cost-of-living crises in a decade, as well as allegations of misgovernment and corruption in Africa’s most populous country. Nigeria’s public officials are among the highest paid in Africa, a startling difference in a country with some of the world’s poorest and hungry people while being one of the continent’s leading oil producers.

Police officers were seen firing tear gas to disperse dozens of protesters at Nigeria’s national stadium shortly before hooded operatives believed to be from the Nigerian secret service arrived, according to several protesters, journalists, and videos shared with The Associated Press.

According to six journalists who talked with The Associated Press, the Nigerian secret agency, or Department of State agency, quickly dispersed the protestors and then fired rounds at the remaining media.

A video taken by one of the journalists shows the gun-wielding operators chasing people in front of the stadium. Their cars, at least five in total, were parked alongside those of the Nigerian police.

“It was shocking because they saw us as journalists and we were telling them we were journalists,” said Abdulkareem Mojeed, one of the journalists who were attacked. At least three bullets pierced his automobile.
The journalists claimed they were far from the demonstrators. They were wearing vests identifying them as journalists and were near vehicles with media logos when they were shot at, they claimed.

A secret service representative did not respond to The Associated Press’s phone or email inquiries. The service, which has a reputation for harshness, has been repeatedly accused of violent attacks and unjust arrests.

When caught in the shooting, journalist Abdulqudus Ogundapo expressed concern for his own safety.

“My first reaction was, ‘Let me just be safe,'” Ogundapo remarked before driving away.

Journalists are frequently targeted by security personnel while on assignment in Nigeria, which ranks 112th out of 180 nations in Reporters Without Borders’ most recent World Press Freedom Index.

Protesters, too, have been shot at in the country, including during the deadly 2020 demonstrations against police brutality.

At least 31 cases of attacks against journalists, including 11 arrests, have so far been recorded since the cost-of-living protests started, according to the West Africa-focused Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development’s (CJID) press attack tracker.

“Rather than providing security for journalists … security officials have conducted themselves in a way that suggests they are deliberately attacking journalists,” said Adebayo Aare, a project officer on media freedom with CJID.

The Nigerian police, meanwhile, said seven people have so far died during the protests and none of them was killed by security forces. Amnesty International has said at least nine protesters were killed by security forces.

A police officer who had been reported killed by authorities had “miraculously survived,” according to police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement calling for an end to the 10-day protests.

AP