In the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) just like many other major cities, the threats of the protest was felt more than the outcome. Weeks before the August 1st date for the commencement of the protest, there was palpable tension and an air of uncertainty across the city.

This is probably due to the “10 Days of Rage” tag given to the protest in one of its promotional flyers posted on the social media.

Panic buying

Many residents didn’t know exactly what to expect, but with the benefit of hindsight they remembered the #EndSARS protest and that activated a panic mode across the nooks and cranny of the capital city.

While the government’s propaganda machinery was fully activated, to among other things douse tension, residents who seemingly didn’t want to be caught off guard, refused to be consoled by any of the assurances of safety and peace.

Precisely, on the 31st of August the eve of the protest, residents were seen in their numbers trooping to the markets and mega shopping plazas. Inside Abuja gathered that the panic buying on the eve of the protest, was to avoid any untoward situation that may breakout on August 1st.

Some residents seen around major mega shopping centres, like the popular H-Medix, Sahad Stores, and even neighbourhood markets, said that they wanted to play safe and avoid moving around during the protest and running into angry mobs.

Madam, Faith Onyenwe who was sighted at the H-Medix, Asokoro branch, said: “I am here to pick what my household will need. I don’t know what the protest situation will be like tomorrow. From the experiences we had during the EndSARS protest, nobody knows if markets will be opened. This is because, during the EndSARS markets were looted by miscreants who infiltrated the protesters”.

Emergency town hall meetings

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike who is presumably one of the members of Tinubu’s kitchen cabinet, did not rest on his oars, in fighting to see that the protest was whittled down.

Wike who is famous for tackling seemingly hard situations, took the task of touring the Area Councils, to dissuade the youths from joining forces with the anti-government protesters.

The minister who had earlier issued threats, announcing publicly that FCT was a no-go area for the protesters, suddenly made a u-turn, and decided to be more diplomatic.

Inside Abuja learnt that the Minister who was overtly bashed by several public opinions, condemning him, for threatening to shut down all public spaces against the protesters, had to retrace his steps.

Wike who frantically didn’t want the protest to hold at all, probably to make some political statements, resorted to reaching out to the youths. From then on, Wike used every opportunity he had to preach against the protest.

He also held about three emergency town hall meetings, where he met with traditional, religious, political and youth leaders to persuade them to pull out of the proposed protest.

Townhall meetings

In one of the town hall meetings, Wike said he initiated the meeting as an avenue for dialogue with various stakeholders and to allow them to air their views, rather than taking to the streets to protest against the government.

He said he was not leaving any stone unturned in discouraging the proposed protest, because he believed that protest would not solve any problem but would rather create an opportunity for hooligans to foment trouble.

He warned that the FCT Administration will not allow any protest that is geared towards destruction or to overthrow the government. Wike cautioned residents against aligning with those he described as faceless protesters.

“Protests do not solve any problem. Protests rather create more problems because hooligans, hoodlums would always want to take advantage to foment problems and create crises,” he said.

The Minister who had earlier refused to grant permission to the protesters to use the Eagle Square, noted that he only heard about the request on social media and television.

Seeking permission

According to him, any request to protest in the FCT must be addressed to his office, adding that certain conditions must also be fulfilled before such requests are granted.

He said: “Who are these people who want to protest? I’m just reading on social media that they’ve applied to me to grant them the use of the Eagle Square.

Do you apply to me through social media? You will write a letter to the Minister. Who are you? I need to see you. What do you want to do? How many days do you want to spend? How much will you pay?

“Some people want to do propaganda in everything. I watched them on Channels News telling the IGP that they have applied. You don’t apply to me through Channels. You must apply properly.

You must pay what they call security cost so that if there is any damage to the facilities, we take that security cost and repair it. “We don’t just give people permission to use government facilities just because you have applied.

You will fulfill the conditions.” Meanwhile, Wike who addressed residents during a ceremony to present staff of office to newly appointed traditional rulers, urged citizens to be peaceful and seek dialogue instead of protest.He noted that the government was prepared to listen to the concerns of the people.

Militarisation of Abuja Inside

Abuja’s findings showed that few days to the protest, strategic public facilities within Abuja, and major roads were totally taken over by the combined forces of the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Army and other security agencies.

This was due to the fact that the government feared that the protest could become violent. Apart from the military checkpoints that surfaced at the various entry points into Abuja, other security agencies also mobilised for full surveillance.

The FCT Police Command said it put over 4000 officers and men on red alert to curb any act of lawlessness that may arise from the protest.

In a statement issued through its Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh the Police stated thus: “The FCT Police Command, in anticipation of the planned nationwide protest by some human rights activists and Nigerian youths to publicly express their displeasure over hunger and hardship, has proactively deployed material and human resources at the command’s disposal across the nooks and crannies of the nation’s capital.

“The proactive deployment, which is aimed at ensuring public safety, protection of protesters, and preventing protests from being hijacked by non-state actors, is characterised by visibility policing, the deployment of Explosive Ordinance Devices (EOD) experts and personnel at various strategic locations, raids on identified black spots, uncompleted buildings/shanties, stop and search, vehicular and foot patrol and synergy with sister security agencies”.

Protesters defy intimidation

Despite the over militarization of the nation’s capital, intentionally planned to discourage the protesters, some courageous youths still dared the government and stormed the streets with their demands.

Beginning from the first day, there was a tensed atmosphere at the MKO National Stadium in Abuja. On the eve of the protest, the Federal Government had obtained a court order restricting the protesters to the stadium.

However, a mild drama played out, that morning as pro- and anti-government protesters found their ways to the stadium. Although no violence was reported, there was confusion, as a handful of youths believed to have been rented by the government came with their placards to challenge the anti-government protesters.

The pro-government protesters, mostly young people,were brought into the arena in five coaster buses. They were immediately mobilised to one end of the stadium, singing praises of President Bola Tinubu.

They brandished placards with inscriptions like “No protest in Abuja, we want peace.” Meanwhile, anti-government protesters, were seen waving Nigerian flags and brandishing placards calling for an end to bad governance.

They were barricaded at the other end of the stadium by a combined team of security forces. Inside Abuja’s findings revealed that all entrances to the National Stadium were tightly shut. Other public arenas like the Eagle Square, Millennium Park, and Unity Fountain were taken over by armed security operatives.

Most workers didn’t bother reporting for duties for fear of being attacked, leaving only a few cars in the parking lots of the Federal Secretariat, FCTA, and other government institutions. Also, critical public buildings like the Central Bank and the NNPC Towers were manned by heavily armed security operatives.

Abuja turned ghost town

Contrary to the expectations that the antigovernment protesters had been dissuaded from embarking on the planned action after several overtures from state actors, the city center looked like a ghost city for most of the 10 days.

Most government offices, banks and some markets were either shut or operated at almost half their capacity. Inside Abuja’s checks showed that even many places where petty traders used to gather for their businesses were also empty.

Huge vehicular traffic were also deserted. Major roads and streets that usually record Although the anti-government protesters were restricted to the MKO National Stadium by security operatives, some protesters forced their way into the city center and were dispersed with tear gas.

A resident, Jackson Chi expressed surprise that the roads across the city centre were deserted and looked like what obtains on election days.

Harassment of journalists

Inside Abuja observed that the protesters were not just teargassed by security operatives, but even journalist were arrested for covering the protest. The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, FCT Correspondent Chapel, Jide Oyekunle was not only harassed, but also had his phone seized for almost eight hours.

Inside Abuja also learnt that many other journalists were either arrested by the Police at different locations in the course of carrying out their constitutional duty.

One-million-man march

The Take It Back Movement ( TIBM), one of the organisers of the protest, had vowed to stage one million man march in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory on the last day of the protest.

As early as 7:00am, the protesters bearing different placards and banners had found their way into the MKO Stadium. Their early arrival was apparently, to beat the heavy security that had kept surveillance around the protests in the last ten days.

One of the protesters, Amoke Gabriel, said it was unfortunate that citizens were been prevented by government from exercising their constitutional rights within the ambit of the law. Gabriel, noted that government’s action was not just an intimidation, but an affront to democratic principles.

“How can unarmed citizens who came out to protest maladministration of their leaders be subjected to this type of emotional and psychological torture by the people who are supposed to protect them?”.

But the Police said the heavy presence of security operatives was to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the protest and causing mayhem.