A group of security operatives attached to the Presidential Villa Gate in Abuja on Tuesday harassed and manhandled a former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili.
Ezekwesili had embarked on a solo march to the State House to demand accountability and end to the violent killings going on in the country.
Dressed in a symbolic red attire, Ezekwesili carried a banner with inscriptions such as Help!, #EndTheBloodFlow, #EndThe Killings, #WeWantJustice marched to the gates of the Presidential Villa.
The Bring Back Our Girls group in a statement on Monday had said that the former minister would embark on the solo march today (Tuesday) at 11.30 am.
The group in its statement said the march is fully endorsed and supported by the BBOG as the issue is part of the things it has been advocating about for the past four years.
However, the protest was stopped at the Presidential villa gate when the security operatives stationed around the gate manhandled her while struggling to retrieve her placard from her.
According to reports, the attempt, which was vehemently resisted by the former World Bank executive, led to the commotion as the Police kept dragging her.
Journalists covering the fracas were not spared, as their phones and cameras were seized by the security operatives.
Speaking during the protest, Ezekwesili said: “I am addressing my message to you as the President and C-in-C of Nigeria. I am addressing my DEMANDS to you as that one individual bestowed with the powers of centralized command and control of our security institutions and personnel to enforce the provisions of Section 14 subsection 2b of the Nigerian Constitution (As amended) which states that ‘the welfare and security of the citizens shall be the primary purpose of the government,.”
Six of the 12 demands she highlighted in her message to the President are:
(1) Putting an end to the endless killings by herdsmen going on in the country.
(2) Revealing the identity of the perpetrators of these wanton killings in Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Zamfara, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kogi states etc.
(3) Justice for the victims of violent killings across the country and secure the living in all parts of the country.
(4) Ending the ineffectiveness of the security establishment.
(5) Ending your loyalty to the Service Chiefs.
(6) Stopping the blame game and confusing statements on the killings of the citizens.
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