Political elites opposed to the Tinubu administration may have revealed their involvement by sponsoring and mobilizing several groups of mostly non-literate boys who moved around various parts of Abuja on Thursday, August 1. Despite this, the intimidating presence of armed security personnel at strategic locations and the apparent disinterest of civil servants and civil society organizations resulted in a calm atmosphere throughout most parts of the city.
Notably absent were civil society organizations, students, and well-informed activists, especially at Unity Fountain near Transcorp Hilton hotel, a central venue for numerous past public protests in Abuja, including the ‘Bring-Back-Our-Girls’ movement. The youths, some carrying tree branches and chanting “Ba mu so” (Hausa for “We don’t want”), seemed unaware of the actual issues behind the protest. Instead, they focused on harassing passing motorists for money to buy water.
Calm prevailed in residential areas of Wuse and Maitama, as most families treated the first day of the ten-day protest as a day of rest, staying indoors. The Moshood Abiola National Stadium saw a small crowd gather early in the morning, but they peacefully dispersed shortly after without any incidents, even as police officers stood nearby.
Our correspondent observed that small groups of young boys with tree branches refused to reveal the identities of those who invited them or how much they were being paid. These groups were encountered in other places as well, though no significant violence occurred at traditional protest hotspots like Area 1, Berger roundabout, and Wuse Market. Some violence was reported in a part of Gwagwalada satellite town.
At Wuse Market, only two unarmed civil defense operatives were present at the entrance, where market personnel continued collecting the usual entry fee of N100 from motorists. The market’s branch of Lotus Bank was open, with three uniformed staff members standing outside.
Strategically placed security cordons around the Federal Secretariat, Central Bank, the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign headquarters, NNPC headquarters, and other structures were evident. About 15 armed policemen and eight civil defense operatives kept a discreet distance at Herbert Macaulay Way, monitoring the market entrance from afar.