Hundreds of anti-protest youths have taken over the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja to frustrate the planned nation-wide protest.
Led by a man who claimed to be Blessing Joel, the demonstrators carried placards with inscription, “No Protest.”
The man that claimed to be Blessing Joel spoke in a form of English with heavy Hausa accent, telling journalists at the MKO Abiola Stadium that his group did not want any protest because it was targeted at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Wednesday restricted protesters in the August 1 demonstration to the MKO Abiola Stadium in the nation’s capital. Justice Oriji issued the order on while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application brought before him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
But the court-restricted venue was where the anti-protest groups were bused to.
Later at the MKO Abiola Stadium, the said Joel was seen briefing the youths who were brought into Abuja from the suburbs to the city in eight Coaster Buses.
He was also seen later renegotiating with the boys who insisted they wanted to leave the MKO Abiola Stadium after loitering for over an hour.
Some of the people who appeared to be their leaders later went to him and were seen negotiating in Yoruba.
Investigations revealed that the young men who were first driven through Eagle Square where the security agents teargassed some protesters came from various parts of the outskirts of Abuja.
In less than one hour, some of the youths began to complain that the were hungry, a development that almost resulted in a fight.
When asked why they were opposed to the protest, one said, “o boy, make we collect the one we see first. We d hungry bad bad. As I de here now, if I tell you the kind hungry we de worry me, I no be small.”
A group of five who were chatting said that they were paid N5,000 each to join the anti-protest group.
They said that their interest was to collect the money offered by the man who came to organise them.
The N5, 000 one of them claimed would buy some meals and he wanted the protesters to make it a daily affair as that would mean his collecting N5,000 each to participate in the anti-protest demonstration.
The leaders of the group continued to shuttle between the group and some security officers who were seated in black jeeps and other vehicles at the entrance of the stadium. Later, members of the group began to protest that they needed more money and wanted to leave.
Some of them were elated that they were driven into the city centre in a convoy with security escort.
Investigations also revealed that each of the eight Coaster Buses was hired at N80, 000.
They drivers were paid N40, 000 advance with the promise to be paid the balance of N40, 000 at the end of the demonstration.
Aside those brought into the stadium, there were several smaller groups in trucks who drove around Abuja , with megaphones, announcing no protest and singing, ” Na je je we de go, je je.”
Meanwhile, angry demonstrators under the aegis of the ‘Take It Back Movement’ were seen marching towards Eagle Square.
They carried placards with several inscriptions like ‘Hunger is enough,’ and ‘EndBadGovernanceInNigeria’ among others.
Earlier, they converged at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in the nation’s capital.
An FCT resident who identified himself as Emmanuel Larry said hunger forced him to come out on Thursday morning.
He insisted that the government must heed their demands, saying contrary to some speculations that the protests won’t hold, the demonstrations will be held from August 1 to August 10.
“Today is the hunger day, we all promise you that we are going to be the streets of Abuja. Hunger has brought me out, I don’t have money to buy fuel,” he said.
“I don’t have money to buy whatever, there is total bad governance. The government has used propaganda and fake news to tell you that the protests have been cancelled.
“The protests have not been cancelled, we are on the street. It is for 10 days. If our demands are not being met, we will remain on the streets. Hunger, insecurity, and poor housing have brought me out. A lot of things are going on in this country.”
Written with reports from Channels TV, Vanguard