Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, reportedly fainted during a protest in Abuja after security operatives allegedly fired tear gas canisters at demonstrators.
According to reports, demonstrators had gathered to express their grievances when security officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Witnesses said the resulting chaos forced many protesters to flee, while several others reportedly suffered breathing difficulties and other effects of gas exposure.
Meanwhile, tear gas reportedly affected Sowore, one of the protest leaders, before he collapsed. At the time of filing this report, his exact condition remained unknown, and security officials had yet to issue an official response.
In addition, previous incidents involving Sowore have also drawn criticism over the use of tear gas by security forces to disperse protesters.
The development has sparked renewed concerns among civil society groups and rights advocates over crowd-control tactics employed during public protests, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory.
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Meanwhile, this comes after a coalition of civil society organisations, labour activists, youth groups, community associations, and concerned Nigerians declared Nigeria’s Democracy Day, June 12, as a day of nationwide protest and mass action against rising economic hardship, insecurity, and widespread hunger.
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