Hardship Protest: Police deploy 4,200 officers in Abuja

The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Benneth Igweh, has ordered the deployment of “4,200 personnel and assets” for the planned nationwide Hardship Protest in Abuja.

The commissioner’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, announced the deployment in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday.

She stated that the commissioner’s action aims to ensure the protection and safety of lives and property of residents and individuals within the FCT during the nationwide demonstration scheduled for 1 August.

“The Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Benneth Igweh, mni, has ordered the deployment of 4,200 personnel and assets to ensure the protection and safety of law-abiding residents within the FCT ahead of the proposed nationwide protest. He also warned against violent protests,” the post reads.

End Hunger Protests

The planned #EndBadGovernance protest, scheduled to take place from 1 to 10 August, aims to demand economic and political reforms. However, the government is using all its resources to suppress the protest.

The government has been using several schemes, including meetings with traditional and religious leaders, as well as threats by security agencies to prevent the protests from happening or prevent them from turning violent if they hold.

PulseNets reported that the Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun summoned commanders of the mobile police formations across Nigeria to a meeting on Saturday.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Egbetokun said organisers of the protests should provide state police commissioners with their personal details, venues of protests, and other information.

Also Read: Hardship Protest: Fuel Scarcity Looms as Oil Marketers Shut Down Stations

Also, major security forces, including the State Security Services (SSS), the Nigerian Army and the police, have issued stern warnings against the protests.

Despite the government’s efforts to suppress the protests, the organisers remain resolute.