End Bad Governance protest claimed six lives in Niger – NGO

The National Protest Situation Room of a Non-governmental organisation, CLEEN Foundation, has revealed that the End Bad Governance nationwide protest held across the Six geo-political zones of Nigeria from August 1 to 10, 2024, claimed six lives in Suleja and Tafa local councils of Niger State.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the foundation, Peter Maduoma, at a one day media and civil society organisations briefing and unveiling of report on the conduct of law enforcement personnel, held in Minna on Thursday.

According to Maduoma, a total number of 23 protesters were shot to death by law enforcement personnel, adding that 13 were killed on the first day, while 10 protesters, mainly juveniles, were gun down on the third day of the protest in Kano State.

Represented by the Program Manager, Chigozirim Okoro, the CLEEN Foundation boss said in Niger State, six persons lost their lives, four in Kano, three in Kaduna, three in Borno, two in Jigawa, two in Katsina, one in Gombe, Kebbi,and Bauchi, respectively.

He said law enforcement personnel also shot live bullets and teargas at journalists covering the protest in Abuja.

The CLEEN foundation had stressed that the data received in the situation room indicated that out of the six geo-political zones of the country, only the South-East (Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi) recorded sit-at-home as a form of nationwide protest, while,the other five geo-political zones witnessed massive crowd that trooped out to protest except for Kogi State in North Central and Akwa Ibom State in the South-South region.

Maduoma stated that the intensity of the nationwide protest continued to declined as the number of days scheduled for the protest progressed, adding from a total number of 30 states and the FCT to only Lagos, Rivers, Edo and Abuja.

He explained that the protest were categorised into peaceful protest and violent protest, adding that the CLEEN Foundation indicated that the protest was largely peaceful in the Southern part of Nigeria but recorded series of violence in some Northern states which led to loss of lives and destruction of public properties.