A protester at the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstration in Bauchi State has described how a hoodlum assaulted and stripped her naked in public.

Aisha Dogara Adamu, a resident of the Bauchi metropolis, recounted the brutalisation she suffered on the first day of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests in the state.

She said, “On Thursday, August 1, 2024, as scheduled, peaceful protests took place around the CBN roundabout in Bauchi metropolis around 1 pm to voice our concerns about hardship and insecurity.

“The police fired tear gas at us. I endured the teargas and walked past the security personnel. When I was approaching the State Secretariat, a man I later learned was named Blabla came behind me and began to beat me.”

Aisha tearfully reported that Blabla assaulted her until she was left naked in front of the security station in the area.

“He beat me, kicked me with his feet. What baffled me was the way they stripped me naked in front of the security personnel, and they did nothing.”

According to Dogara, her assailant claimed to have backing from certain authorities to prevent anyone from protesting otn that road.

Discussing her reasons for joining the demonstration, Aisha highlighted the severe inflation and troubling insecurity as her main motivators.

In a related development, Sunday PUNCH reported that security operatives at the Bauchi Government House gate clashed with a leader of the Initiative for the Liberalisation of Physically Challenged People on the first day of the hunger protests in the state.

A video trending on social media shows security personnel at the Bauchi Government House wrestling with Hamza Waziri, a person living with a disability, while he was in his wheelchair.

In an interview with our correspondent, Waziri explained that he organised the protest to express his dissatisfaction with the current economic situation of the country.

Seven cops injured in Gombe

Residents of Gombe State have expressed their discontent over being shot at and injured during the August #EndBadGovernance protest.

When our correspondent visited the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe on Saturday, officials at the facility reported that no fewer than eight people had been admitted for medical treatment. According to Sunday PUNCH, two have been discharged, while six are still receiving care.

Of these, five are in Accident and Emergency with multiple fractures and lacerations, and one is in the Intensive Care Unit.

One of the patients in ICU, who has two bullet wounds and is on life support, was identified as a victim of police action.

Rabiu Ibrahim, a 27-year-old protester, confirmed his ordeal at the Accident and Emergency ward.

Hassan Haruna, 18, who sells fish for a living, participated in the protest. He said, “I am not a criminal or vandal. I was injured when the police shot teargas around the roundabout. As I tried to escape, I was cut by broken glass that pierced my leg.”

Mohammed Abdulrauf, also 18, recounted being shot by a hunter while fleeing the scene. “I joined the crowd running from the protest and was shot by a hunter for no reason. This has jeopardised my hope of becoming an army officer. I am struggling to get help as I only use my KekeNapep to make a living.”

When contacted, Gombe Police Public Relations Officer ASP Buhari Abdullahi said he was unaware of the exact number of injured protesters but confirmed that about seven officers were injured and treated.

‘Compensate us’

Earlier, the youth #EndbadgovernanceInNigeria hunger protest in Niger State took a violent dimension on Thursday when six of the protesters were killed in Suleja while attempting to invade a police Station.

Four of the victims were allegedly shot dead at a police station while those injured were rushed to a hospital.

A relative of one of the victim, who gave his name as Adamu Gulu, lamented the death of his brother in the hands of security agents.

Gulu said he did not know his brother would die that way, pointing out that his brother’s death would not be in vain.

“My brother was Yahaya Gulu. He was one of those killed in the Suleja hunger protest. When he left home that morning, we did not know that he would not come back alive.

He was full of life and had always spoken about bad governance in Nigeria and how the people should agitate for good governance.

“So, when this protest was first announced, he immediately said he would be a part of the protesters. He did not expect it to become violent.

“In fact, he was always warning people not to be violent by taking any dangerous weapon with them during the protest,” Gulu said.

Asked about what he was going to do about his brother’s death, Gulu noted that he did not know what he would do, adding that some lawyers had decided to take up the issue of compensation for the victims of the protest.

“As it stands, I don’t know what to do. The protest is not over. I am happy that some lawyers have said they are going to take over our cases and demand compensation for the victims. I expect compensation because the present government caused the protest.

“This is one year after it came to office and it is still asking Nigerians to give them more time, meanwhile, there is so much hardship and hunger in the land,” Gulu said.

PUNCH