BREAKING NEWS: Police disperses youths protesting economic hardship, others in Abuja, Rivers

 Police operatives on Monday dispersed youths protesting the current economic hardship and other problems in the country with tear gas in Abuja and Port Harcourt.

The protesters, who gathered at the Maitama area of Abuja as early as 8:00 a.m., scampered for safety after the operatives pumped cannisters of tear gas into the air.

At the Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt, the operatives chased away the protesters and assaulted some of them, including journalists covering the event.

The protest began in Abuja and Lagos on Monday with members of the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society organisations led by the Publisher of the Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, spearheading the demonstration.

READ ALSO: Protest against economic hardship, Rivers emergency rule begins in Abuja, Lagos

The protesters are also challenging the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, and the declaration of an emergency rule in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

In Abuja, the protesters danced to music and carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Let Us Breathe,” and Stop the Repression,” among others.

At the Ikeja Under Bridge in Lagos, the protesters gathered there as early as 7:00 a.m., to express their displeasure over the happenings in the country.

The TIB, in a statement issued on Friday by its National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, said the protest would go ahead to stop the country from sliding further into anarchy.