Armed police officers on Tuesday fired teargas to disperse hundreds of Nigerians gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly of Nigeria in Abuja under the banner of the National Opposition Movement (NOM).
The protesters had converged on the complex to demand mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results in future polls. The rally, however, was abruptly cut short when security operatives moved in and released teargas canisters into the crowd.
Among prominent figures present at the demonstration were former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili; former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo; and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, among others.
The incident occurred shortly after the leaders addressed supporters, urging Nigerians to remain steadfast in their demand for electoral reforms. Eyewitnesses said the Divisional Police Officer overseeing security at the complex ordered anti-riot personnel to disperse the gathering.
Moments later, teargas was fired, triggering panic as protesters fled, coughing and gasping for breath. Some demonstrators were reportedly injured in the confusion.
Despite the initial crackdown, a section of the crowd regrouped near the National Assembly gate in defiance of the police action. Reinforcements, including several police Hilux vans loaded with armed officers, were deployed to the scene, and additional teargas canisters were discharged to disperse the protesters again.
The disruption spilled into parts of the nearby Federal Secretariat, with passersby caught in the chaos.
The protesters later reconvened at a distance from the gate, chanting anti-government slogans and condemning the police action as undemocratic and excessive.
As of press time, the police had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Teargas at NASS: Police Break Up #OccupyNASS Protest Over E-Transmission
