Nigeria: several demonstrations dispersed on the occasion of "democracy day"
Protesters demand the departure of President Buhari during a rally in Abuja on June 12, 2021. AFP - KOLA SULAIMON
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Despite the authorities' warnings, several rallies were formed in several towns in Nigeria, on the occasion of "Democracy Day".
In Lagos, Abuja, or Benin City, demonstrators had come to protest against growing insecurity, bad governance and the suspension of Twitter for more than a week in the country.
A popular discontent that President Muhammadu Buhari did not mention in his traditional speech marking this day.
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With our correspondent in Lagos,
Liza Fabbian
The police who intervene to disperse the demonstrations with tear gas, it is the image which will remain of this "day of democracy" in Nigeria.
Amnesty International denounced "
attacks on peaceful demonstrators in Abuja, Lagos and Ibadan
" on Saturday.
Despite the
blocking of Twitter
for more than a week, Nigerians have managed to hoist the keywords "
June 12
" and "
Buhari must go
" - "
Buhari must go
" - at the top of the most discussed topics on the social network worldwide.
Twitter founder Jack Dorsey himself posted the Nigerian flag on his account, as a sign of support for the people.
However, the Head of State Muhammadu Buhari was careful not to mention the subject in his traditional speech marking Democracy Day.
The Nigerian president barely admitted that insecurity "
has moved outside the northeast
" of the country and has spread since his election in 2015 - before giving a lengthy technical speech about his administration's efforts. , to reduce unemployment and poverty, endemic in the most populous country in Africa.
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Nigeria
Muhammadu Buhari
Social networks
Twitter