Anti-protesters on Thursday attacked several journalists in Delta State, including correspondents from PUNCH, Guardian, and Sahara Reporters, as well as a Pointer reporter.
The attacked journalists were Matthew Ochei, Monday Osayande, and Lucy, surname unspecified.
The protest, which started peacefully around 10 am, turned chaotic at about 11:20 am when anti-protesters arrived and began chasing the demonstrators away, despite the presence of security agencies.
According to The PUNCH, during the incident, the journalists were documenting the protest by taking photos and conducting interviews when anti-protesters smashed their equipment and assaulted them.
The on-ground police officers did nothing to intervene, allowing the violence against the journalists to occur without challenge.
Rescue efforts came from military personnel, who managed to save the journalists and retrieve their phones.
In a related event, Nigerian police used tear gas to disperse several hundred protesters in Kano.
The demonstrators attempted to light bonfires outside the state governor’s office, prompting the police to respond with tear gas, which forced most of the crowd to retreat.
Similar actions were taken by security forces to disperse gatherings in Mararaba and in the city center.
The protest movement, operating under the hashtag #EndbadGovernanceinNigeria, gained substantial support through an online campaign.
However, officials cautioned that the protests should not descend into violence.
