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Protest: 26 military vans, 12 police patrol vehicles takeover Abuja venue
Soldiers, policemen and other security personnel on Tuesday occupied the popular Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled to be held in the Federal Capital Territory and other major cities on Thursday.
Our correspondents at the square counted over 300 security operatives at the facility.
Also, 26 military vans, 12 police patrol vehicles and a Black Maria were parked within and around the arena.
The security forces took over the square as the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the protest organisers disagreed on the mode of conduct of the demonstration.
At a virtual meeting with the IG on Tuesday, the group rejected the police proposal for confined protests.
Egbetokun had recommended that the protests be restricted to confined areas for public safety reasons.
But Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, the solicitor for the protest organisers, rejected the suggestion.
The meeting had in attendance human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, other key members of the Take It Back Movement and other civil society organisations.
Speaking after the meeting, Adegboruwa said the area of disagreement was the confinement of protesters to a particular location.
He said the organisers disagreed because it was against their fundamental rights.
Adegboruwa said, “We agreed that the citizens of Nigeria are entitled to protest and that the police would not do anything that would hinder or jeopardize the exercise of that right. That was a basic thing we all agreed upon. We also agreed that police have a statutory duty to offer protection to citizens whenever they protest.
“Our area of disagreement was the area of confinement. The police prefer, based on the venue sent to them, we should protest in a confined arena. We insisted that we have a right to rally and embark on procession. They said they don’t have the manpower that would go round across all cities.”
In what appeared to be a setback for the group, the Lagos State High Court restricted protesters participating in the upcoming nationwide protest to specific locations within the state.
Justice Emmanuel Ogundare made the order on Tuesday, while declaring that demonstrations could only take place at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park in Ketu in Lagos.
The decision came after the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, filed a preemptive ex parte application.
Pedro’s application sought to ensure public safety and prevent the potential loss of lives and property during the protests.
The respondents in the preemptive ex parte application are Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba of the Active Citizens Group, Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto of the Take It Back Movement, unnamed persons and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.
Pedro, while moving the application before the court, argued that as the state’s Chief Law Officer, he was aware of notices from various groups planning protests for and against different causes.
He emphasised the need to protect critical infrastructure and prevent incidents similar to those during the #EndSARS protests in 2020.
“The police in Lagos State do not have sufficient manpower to provide security for protesters intending to demonstrate across all local government areas and public highways,” Pedro stated.
He argued that there was a risk of the protests being hijacked by hoodlums intent on causing destruction.
“To prevent such outcomes, the Lagos State Government has designated two public spaces—Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park and Peace Park—where citizens can gather to express their views.
“Public protest in all the local government councils and public highways as well as other areas of public access in the state for 10 days is a deliberate plan to shut down the state and if this is allowed it will amount to economic sabotage,” he said.
Ogundare, after considering the arguments, granted the reliefs sought by the Attorney-General.
The judge held, “ An order of pre-emptive remedy by way of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 1st to 5th defendants/respondents the 1st to 5th defendants/Respondents, whether by themselves, their agents, privies, or servants, are restrained from holding protests, rallies, processions, or meetings outside the designated locations from August 1 to August 10, 2024.
He said “These activities are permitted only at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, and Peace Park, Ketu, from 8am to 6pm, pending compliance with the pre-action protocol by the claimant.”
Additionally, the court ordered the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, to provide security and manage traffic at the designated protest sites. “This order is crucial to ensure the safety of both the protesters and the public.
“An order of pre-emptive remedy by way of interim preservative order is hereby granted directing the 6th defendant to protect the fundamental rights of the 1st to 5th defendants/respondents to freedom of association, peaceful public protest, procession and tallies in the approved designated location for peaceful public protest, rallies and meetings in Lagos State, To wit: Gani Fawehinm Freedom Park, Ikorodu Road Ojota, Lagos and Peace Park, Ketu Lagos from 8 am to 6 pm on August 1-10, 2024 pending compliance with the pre-action protocol by the Claimant,” Ogundare ruled.
The court also directed that the order be served through newspaper publication, deeming it sufficient for notifying the defendants and respondents.
The takeover of Eagle Square on Tuesday by the Armed Forces followed the insistence of the organisers to hold the demonstration despite pressure from the Federal Government, traditional rulers and other prominent Nigerians.
The operatives declined to speak and ordered our correspondents to leave the square.
However, a policeman mounting guard close to the entrance told The PUNCH that they were posted to secure the facility ahead of the demonstration.
“We have been deployed from various stations to maintain order for as long as the protest lasts. As you can see from the different vehicles around, some of us were brought in from Bwari and other police divisions,” he said.
The massive security deployment sparked fear among the civil servants at the Federal Secretariat and residents of the area.
Workers, who came to have lunch in canteens located behind Eagle Square, were heard saying they would stay away from the office on Thursday.
When asked if a circular had been issued to that effect, a lady responded, “No. Are we supposed to be told? I cannot afford to risk coming all the way from Bwari when a protest is ongoing. Nobody is even sure if this hunger protest won’t get violent.”
Other workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said they would not come to work from Thursday until the protests ended.
Security operatives were also observed close to the National Assembly, Abuja-Mararaba Road and at every major pedestrian bridge along the stretch of Airport Road.
Checks by our correspondents revealed intensified surveillance patrol by the Guards Brigade, police, Nigeria Security and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies in the FCT.
A joint detachment of soldiers and policemen were seen patrolling major roads in Gwagwalada in a show of force.
Displeased with the military deployment, a human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, to withdraw soldiers deployed across the FCT and other cities ahead of the proposed hunger protest.
In a letter addressed to the CAS on Tuesday, Adeyanju said providing security during protests was the job of the police.
He recalled that the deployment of soldiers for the protest in Kenya and the 2020 #EndSARS led to riots.
Adeyanju said, “We write as a pro-human rights law firm to draw your attention to the disturbing deployment of men of the Nigerian Army across the Federal Capital Territory and other cities in an attempt to suppress the scheduled August 1, 2024, national protest.
“The task of providing internal security, including the protection of protesters during the scheduled protest, lies with the Nigeria Police Force and not the Nigerian Army.
“You may also recall that at all times when the armed forces intervened in any protest, including the recent Kenya protest, such protests often escalated into full-blown riots leading to loss of lives and property.
“It is on the premise of the foregoing that we urge you to withdraw your men back to the barracks as we do not want a repeat of soldiers killing protesters as was witnessed during EndSARS.”
Reacting to the takeover of Eagle Square by the security agents, the Director of Mobilisation, Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, stated that the protest organisers were not discouraged by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike’s decision to deny them the use of the facility.
He added that the minister would grant them the venue when protesters converge on the square on Thursday.
Adenola said, “We are not deterred. We will be there that day to physically request the use of the venue. We are sure that they will concede to the demands of the people.”
Adeyanju accused the minister of trying to subvert the constitution.
He said, “The Eagle Square does not belong to the Federal Government, it belongs to the people of Nigeria. It is when private citizens want to do a wedding, or a function, that’s when you’ll be asking them to follow the procedure.
“The constitution of Nigeria, Section 4, says that sovereignty belongs to the people, from which the government derives all its powers. So, is the FCT minister or the IGP now trying to subvert the constitution and take away the sovereignty of the people? This was the same venue that was given to protesters protesting against the hunger protest. This is an aberration.”
The Programme Manager of Global Rights, Edosa Oviawe, accused the government of orchestrating the tension generated by the demonstration.
“They have assumed there would be violence. Ordinarily, they (protesters) should be allowed to converge on a location where the police can ensure their protection and ensure it doesn’t become violent,’’ he stated.
The Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said, “Why are they afraid of people exercising their constitutional rights to assemble peacefully and exercise their constitutional rights? Everything the government is doing portrays the President as a dictator, contrary to the claim of him being a democrat.”
In a move to ensure public safety, security agencies in Oyo State, on Tuesday, embarked on a joint show of force in Ibadan metropolis.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the agencies comprised the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Army.
Others were the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Department of State Services, Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service and Amotekun Corps.
The show of force, which began from the Police Command headquarters, Eleyele, took the security personnel to Mokola roundabout, Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi-Gate, Iwo Road, Bodija and Challenge, among others.
Briefing newsmen on the reason for the exercise, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ayodele Sonubi, said that it was to create awareness among members of the public on the readiness of security personnel towards the planned protest.
Sonubi said the exercise was also to ensure that the state remained peaceful, as it had always been, and to protect the lives and property of law-abiding citizens before, during and after the protest.
He said the security agencies in the state were not averse to people venting their anger through peaceful protest, adding that they had the right to protest without infringing on the rights of others.
“It is not your right to coerce others to join the protest. Nobody, including the security agencies, has the right to stop peaceful protests. Our right is to protect peaceful protesters and their property but the moment it turns violent, we have the right to lead and bring orderliness,” he said.
The police commissioner stated that Nigerians had witnessed many protests, noting that while some were peaceful, others were bloody, especially the 2020 EndSARS protest.
The Methodist Church Nigeria has honoured the General Manager of the Enugu State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Hon. Monday Diamond Ani, with the prestigious “Apostle of Faith Award” in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian services and contributions to community development.
The award was presented by the Methodist Diocese of Akegbe, Aninri and Awgu Archdiocese (AAA) under the leadership of Rt. Rev. C. Orji, the Methodist Bishop of AAA Diocese, Enugu.
According to the Church, the honour was bestowed on Hon. Ani in acknowledgment of his selfless commitment to community development, social welfare, and humanitarian service over the years. The Church noted that his contributions have transcended political considerations and have positively impacted countless lives across communities.
His consistent humanitarian interventions have earned him the popular title “Odoziobodo”, meaning “one who builds and restores communities.”
Hon. Ani is widely regarded as a passionate advocate for community service, driven by a desire to improve living standards and promote love, unity, and a sense of
belonging among the people. His dedication reflects Christ’s teaching on the greatest commandment—love for God and love for one’s neighbour—placing service to humanity at the centre of purposeful living.
Due to his unavoidable absence, the award was received on his behalf and later presented to him at his office by Dr. Okechukwu Animba, Vice President (South-East) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Responding to the honour, Hon. Ani expressed profound gratitude to Rt. Rev. C. Orji and the entire Methodist Diocese for recognising his humanitarian efforts. He prayed for God’s continued grace and strength to serve humanity and touch more lives through his work.
He also appreciated his principal, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for appointing him to lead the CSDA, an agency charged with driving community interventions and sustainable development across the state.
When the Enugu State House of Assembly adopted the report of its Special Committee on Land Matters and Disputes in 2024, many observers described it as a watershed moment in the long-running controversy surrounding the Centenary City land in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
The report attracted national attention because it tackled a dispute that had generated numerous court cases, allegations of intimidation, destruction of property, community unrest, and claims involving some of the most influential figures in the state.
For many residents of Amechi and Obeagu, the Assembly’s intervention provided the first official platform where their grievances appeared to receive impartial consideration. The committee’s findings were widely commended for their detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the acquisition and development of over 1,097 hectares of ancestral land.
At the heart of the controversy was the allegation that Private Estates International West Africa Limited (PEIWA), operating under a development agreement with the Enugu State Government, relied on questionable documents to assert rights over vast portions of land originally linked to a proposed university project initiated during the administration of former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Jim Nwobodo.
After reviewing submissions from the parties, the Assembly committee identified several inconsistencies in documents connected with the acquisition process. Among its findings were concerns regarding the authenticity of a survey plan purportedly prepared for the “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” in 1985, despite the fact that Enugu State had not yet been created at that time.
Controversial Enugu Centenary Land: A Daniel Has Come To Judgement
The committee also questioned the authenticity of signatures and official endorsements appearing on key documents, including survey records, gazette notices, and correspondences allegedly executed on behalf of traditional authorities in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
Based on these findings, the committee concluded that the host communities had established that they were not properly carried along in the acquisition process and recommended dialogue, compensation, government intervention, and a comprehensive audit of lands developed under the Centenary City project.
At the time, many hailed the report as evidence that the legislature was willing to confront powerful interests in defence of justice and accountability.
Two years later, events appear to have given fresh significance to those findings.
Today, Kingsley Eze, Chamberlin Mbachu and Private Estates International (W.A.) Limited are facing criminal charges before the Federal High Court, Enugu, in connection with the alleged forgery of a survey plan linked to the disputed acquisition of ancestral lands in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
According to the charge sheet in Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, the defendants are accused of conspiring to forge a survey plan titled “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” purportedly dated 1985.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants knowingly made or uttered the survey plan as a genuine document despite its alleged falsity. The offences are said to be punishable under relevant provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The criminal charges have drawn renewed attention to the conclusions reached by the Enugu State House of Assembly in 2024, particularly its observations regarding inconsistencies surrounding the same survey plan and related acquisition documents.
The developments have also prompted further advocacy from civil society organisations. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on the Inspector-General of Police to direct the Police Monitoring Unit to take over investigations and prosecutions connected with the dispute, investigate allegations of misconduct against certain police officers, and review criminal proceedings allegedly used for harassment and intimidation.
In a separate petition dated May 28, 2026, RULAAC also urged the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in two criminal cases pending before the Federal High Court, Enugu, citing repeated failures by law enforcement authorities to produce defendants for arraignment.
The cases include Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, IGP v. Kingsley Eze & 2 Others, and Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/222/2024, IGP v. Alex Ifeadi & 2 Others.
As the criminal proceedings continue, many observers believe the matter has entered a decisive phase. The allegations that were once the subject of community petitions, legislative inquiries and public debate are now before a court of law for determination.
Whether the Assembly’s 2024 report marked the beginning of accountability or merely one chapter in a much longer struggle remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the issues raised by the Amechi and Obeagu communities have not faded away. Instead, they have evolved into a legal test that could shape public confidence in land administration, governance and the rule of law in Enugu State for years to come.
If the legislative findings, criminal investigations and court proceedings ultimately converge on the truth, then many residents may indeed conclude that, at long last, a Daniel has come to judgment.
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
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