June 12 Protest: Sowore Stumbles as Police Disperse Abuja Demonstrators with Teargas

The Democracy Day protest in Abuja took a tense turn on Friday as security operatives reportedly used teargas to disperse demonstrators, leading to panic and temporary disruption of the gathering.

The protest, led by a coalition of civil society organisations, labour activists, youth groups, and social movements, was part of a nationwide demonstration marking June 12. The coalition had mobilised to draw attention to economic hardship, insecurity, and worsening living conditions across the country.

The protest was backed by prominent figures including human rights lawyer Femi Falana, activist and organiser of the #EndBadGovernance movement Hassan Soweto, musician and activist Falz, and others who jointly called for peaceful demonstrations.

However, the situation escalated when police allegedly deployed teargas to disperse the crowd, causing confusion and forcing protesters to scatter. Videos shared online showed activist Omoyele Sowore stumbling during the chaos, as others rushed to assist him.

Eyewitness accounts and circulating footage showed protesters attempting to revive and support him while security operatives continued to disperse the area. Sowore was later helped into a vehicle, where he confirmed he was stable.

The incident has sparked renewed debate over the handling of protests in Nigeria, particularly on Democracy Day, with concerns raised about the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and the broader state of civic expression in the country.