Fearless October: Police use teargas on Abuja protesters, arrest organisers in Kano as Sowore joins Lagos protest

Police officers on Tuesday fired teargas canisters on protesters in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja during what the #fearlessOctober protest against hardship and poverty.

Eyewitnesses said policemen fired canisters at protesters who scampered to safety in the Jabi and Utako environs.

This is as the police aborted the Kano after cops arrested some members of the group that organised the protest in the state, the Nigerian Patriotic Front Movement.

Following the arrest of the NPFM officials by the police, the protest could not hold as Kano and its environs remained calm while residents were going about with their daily and lawful activities.

It was observed that armed security personnel deployed to various strategic places were still keeping vigil few vehicles were seen plying the major streets.

Meanwhile, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, joined the protest in Lagos State.

Sowore who is one of the key organisers of the protest joined the  protest at the Ikeja Underbridge, where he said the protest was a crucial step towards taking Nigeria to the “promised land”.

He emphasised that the action symbolised the people’s rejection of the government’s Independence Day celebration

Sowore also questioned whether Nigerians had not given the government enough chances, citing how former President Muhammadu Buhari allegedly misused the additional time given to him.

He said, “This is one of the actions that will take us to the Promised Land. We did it in August and today is a symbolic day to reject their own independence as we want our independence.”

“Have we not tried enough? We have no time left. We gave more time, look at what Buhari did with more time. We gave them more time they bought themselves a private jet, we gave them more time, they bought a new house, they increased fuel price. We gave him more time they put us in darkness.

“We gave them more time they gave us minimum wage and gave themselves a maximum wage. Let them resign, that is how we will know they actually understand how people feel this time around.”