The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has said the ongoing protest called by some Nigerians against the hardship in the country has become violent in the territory.
The Police Public Relations Officer, FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the police was becoming over whelmed.
She said the protesters were coming out from different locations against the earlier order, restricting the protest to Moshood Abiola Stadium.
“The protesters are coming out from different locations and are becoming violent. We are trying to curtail them but currently, they are being very violent,” she said.
The PPRO had earlier said the command was in control of the protest.
She said the protesters moving to the Eagle Square against the initial restriction of the protest to Moshood Abiola Stadium brought about the violence.
The protest, which had been earlier announced, led to the closure of banks, filling stations, and markets in major areas of Abuja.
Banks along Federal Housing Estate Lugbe, including UBA, Fidelity, and Polaris, closed their doors to their customers.
The temporary shutdown was a precautionary measure to avoid potential losses and damage to properties and lives, in light of the ongoing nationwide protests.
Under the watchful eyes of security personnel, the areas surrounding the banks remained peaceful, with no reports of violence or destruction.
In Gwarinpa, major banks including Access Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank, and GTBank were shut down. While some banks in the Central Business District remained open, they were not attending to customers.
However, their ATMs continued to dispense cash.
Fear of potential violence also forced many businesses to close shop.
In Dutse and Nyanya, markets were completely deserted, while traders in Wuse Market opted to keep their shops closed despite being present.
“We can’t open our shops because of fear that the protest may turn violent,” said Livinus, a trader in Wuse Market.
Another trader, Kelechi, expressed support for the protest but lamented the potential financial losses due to the closure.
Similar scenes were witnessed in Berger, where most shops were closed, and only the NNPCL filling station was operational.
The protest, which is expected to continue in the coming days, has highlighted the growing discontent among Nigerians over the economic challenges facing the country.
