Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (LP, Abuja), has firmly aligned herself with the people amidst ongoing protests.
The senator referred to the clashes between #EndBadGovernance protesters and security forces in Nigeria’s capital on Sunday afternoon. The police deployed tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd of protesters in the capital city, which had joined other states in a coordinated nationwide “Days of Rage” protests to press for economic reforms.
Senator Kingibe observed that “protests in the Federal Capital Territory remained peaceful until the police launched an attack, firing teargas and shots at the protesters.” She insisted that before the police assault, “there were no reports of any shops being looted or vandalized in Abuja.“
It remains unclear who ordered the police attack on the unarmed protesters. However, President Bola Tinubu’s government has faced criticism from civil societies, particularly Amnesty International, which has accused the government of high-handedness and human rights abuses in dealing with the protesters.
As of Saturday, at least 34 people have died, and 681 have been arrested in connection with the protests. Nigerians are protesting against economic hardship caused by high inflation due to President Tinubu’s economic policies.
I have read most of the comments to my earlier tweet today and for the record let me categorically state that the protest in Federal Capital Territory remained peaceful until the police launched an attack, firing teargas and shots at the protesters. To the best of my knowledge,… pic.twitter.com/s97KfAUuX2
— Sen. Ireti Kingibe (@IretiKingibe) August 4, 2024
Mrs. Kingibe, a prominent politician from the opposition Labour Party and the first female senator of the territory has been in a longstanding conflict with the government-appointed Minister of the city, Nyesom Wike, over policy issues related to development. The conflict often leads to personal attacks from the minister. Mr. Wike had previously warned protesters that Abuja was off-limits.
President Tinubu made a speech Sunday morning calling for an end to the protests, but the demonstrators have vowed to remain on the streets until the government reverses its inflationary policies.
“So, I ask you, my people, what options do we have going forward as a people? How can we peacefully demand justice and reform?” Mrs. Kingibe tweeted to her constituents on Sunday evening.
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