Police Fire Tear Gas on Protesters in Abuja and Rivers State Amid Rising Tensions

Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force, (NPF), on Monday, fired tear gas at protesters in order to disperse them both in the capital city of Abuja and Rivers State, escalating tensions as demonstrators gathered to voice their grievances against governance and economic hardship.

The incidents, occurring in the Maitama area of Abuja and the Isaac Boro Park area of Port Harcourt, have drawn widespread attention and criticism from onlookers and rights groups.

Men of Light reports that the protest, which was part of a nationwide demonstration organized by the Take-It-Back Movement in collaboration with several civil society organizations, coincided with the National Police Day celebrations held at the Eagle Square.

We can, as well, recall that the NPF on Sunday, issued a dissuaded the planned protests. However, the people went on with their plan as they loudly decried hunger and ever rising economic hardship.

Eyewitnesses reported chaotic scenes as security forces moved to break up the peaceful assemblies.

Video footages circulating online showed clouds of tear gas billowing through the streets as protesters scattered.

The heavy-handed tactics have reignited debates over the Nigerian government’s approach to dissent. While authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the incidents, the recurring use of force echoes previous clashes, such as the violent dispersal of Shi’ite protesters in Abuja on March 28, 2025, where police reported coming “under intense gunfire” during a confrontation that resulted in several deaths, according to Reuters.

Ealier on, the head of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, previously called for accountability following protest crackdowns. “These are blatantly trumped-up charges that must be immediately withdrawn,” Sanusi said on September 2, 2024, in response to treason charges leveled against demonstrators, as reported by Reuters—a sentiment likely to resurface after Monday’s events.

As of 7:13 PM WAT, the situation in both Abuja and Rivers State remains tense, with small groups of protesters reportedly regrouping despite the earlier dispersals. The incidents signal a growing unrest that may test the government’s ability to address public discontent without resorting to force.