LAGOS — Tension flared on Friday morning at the commencement of the June 12 Democracy Day protests as demonstration leaders vowed to resist intimidation from suspected political thugs deployed to disrupt the gatherings.
The standoff began just as citizens gathered at designated venues to voice their grievances over worsening economic hardship and unchecked insecurity across the country.
According to eyewitnesses, groups of unidentified young men arrived at the scene early in the morning, aggressively ordering the gathering crowds to dismantle their placards and vacate the area immediately.
An activist at the scene, identified simply as Seaking, swiftly rebuffed the counter-protesters, declaring that no amount of state-sponsored or political intimidation would force the citizens to abandon their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
“Some hired thugs are coming here to tell us that we need to stop the protest and leave this place but we’re not going anywhere,” Seaking announced to the cheering crowd. “No matter who you send, we will not leave!”
Security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and civil defence corps, have deployed personnel to the major protest hubs to maintain order and prevent the situation from degenerating into full-blown violence between the opposing groups.
