Police Disperse Obidients Rally in Ebonyi with Teargas

The Police in Ebonyi State on Saturday violently dispersed residents who gathered in Abakaliki, the capital of the state, to stage a one-million-man march in support of Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

The Obidient movement, as Mr. Obi’s supporters are popularly called, had gathered at the Pastoral Centre, Abakaliki, for the march when the police stormed the area and used teargas to disperse them.

The incident caused human and vehicular traffic on the famous Old Enugu Road in the capital city Saturday morning.

One of the supporters, Steve Ugama, said that aside from dispersing and tear-gassing the supporters, about five of his colleagues have been arrested by the police.

He said, “This is inhuman and undemocratic. We gathered here this morning for our peaceful March; suddenly, the police came and started tear-gassing us and arresting our people.

“They said we can’t hold the march because Governor David Umahi asked them to stop us, that we can’t hold it. About four of our colleagues have been arrested. We need help here.”

However, the supporters later regrouped in another part of the town and continued the march.

At the time if this report, they were seen along the Enugu-Abakaliki highway in their numbers carrying on with the march.

PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately reach the police for their comment on the incident.