Police operatives on Wednesday dispersed youths who turned out in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, to protest alleged brutality of police personnel against youths across the country.
The youths had earlier scheduled their protest march to start at a famous junction called Police Roundabout and thereafter, head to the nearby Police headquarters, but the police would not have it.
The operatives dispatched from the Police Headquarters, stormed a popular eatery near the roundabout called Item 7, in front of which the youths were gathered to begin their protest.
The armed police operatives rushed on the youths, throwing teargas and getting the youths and passers-by rushing off to protect themselves.
Leader of the youths, Tony Gompwel, said they wanted to stage a peaceful protest march from the Police Roundabout to the office of the Commissioner of Police to register their complaints on police brutality.
Speaking for the Youths who planned the protest under #RevolutionNow campaign, Tony told newsmen, “We wrote to the police of our intending protest today but we were just gathering for the protest when the commissioner of police sent some of his men to disperse us.”
He said the youths were not causing any trouble, that he saw no reason behind the police stopping them from expressing themselves to the authorities concerned.
“It is better to allow these youths to express themselves peacefully than resort to taking up arms,” he asserted.
Attempts to hear from the police over the incident yielded no fruit as calls put to the state police public relations officer were yet to be returned by press time.
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