SECURITY operatives, on Wednesday, arrested scores of #RevolutionNow protesters in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Armed security operatives, including the Military, Police, and officers of the Department of State Sevices had been on patrol at the venue of the protest since about 8am.
The main protest was initially scheduled to hold at the Federal Secretariat, but the venue, it was gathered, was changed at the last minute, to Transcorp Junction in Abuja.
The security men arrested the protesters that showed up around the Unity Fountain, Transcorp Junction, at about 9am, but this did not stop the protests at various other locations in Abuja.
According to the Convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, 62 protesters were arrested.
He said, “We are back to the Abacha days and this is most unfortunate. We are back to a time again in our national life when the government of the day has criminalised peaceful protests. Today, we witnessed flogging, beating, harassing and arresting of peaceful protesters in the nation’s capital by a joint task force of security agencies.
“Many of us begin to wonder if this is what our democracy has come to be. It is most regrettable and unfortunate. But this is the sad and painful reality that we have found ourselves today. Alas this is where we are as a nation.”
However, a public affairs analyst, Dr. Tokunbo Adeyemo, said such protests made no meaning at this time.
He said, “Why are they protesting and using #RevolutionNow? No government would fold its arms and allow the break down of law and order. Even if the protests were peaceful, the question is: what exactly is their point? The whole world is suffering currently from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies.
“All we need to demand from Government as patriotic citizens is good governance and the assurance that the available resources would be used to ameliorate the sufferings of the masses. I don’t see the use of the protests. Having said this, the Federal Government should order the release of those that have been arrested. This is not a military regime.”
