A team of armed military personnel from Nigerian Army ‘4’ Special Forces Command, Doma in four Hilux vans, yesterday, allegedly rammed into over 500 women during a peaceful protest in Lafia, leaving many wounded.
The incident happened at the stadium junction, where the protesters gathered to pray after their protest for the day. The first Hilux van conveying the officers was said to be on high speed, before it ran into the protesters and crushed some of them.
Although no life was lost, the protesters were allegedly manhandled and beaten before being rushed to the hospital.
Leader of the group, James Alu, said the protesters who were mainly widows and older women embarked on a peaceful protest when the incident occurred.
“We did nothing wrong by embarking on a peaceful protest over what we feel is a miscarriage of justice. Democracy allows protest. This protest will last for the next twenty days. We are peaceful and will remain peaceful,” Alu said.
One of the women allegedly beaten told The Guardian that she is a widow with four children with no job. She called on the army leadership to caution its men who carried out the act.
The spokesperson of the group, Mr. Kefas Tiga, also lamented the attack on women protesters, describing it as undemocratic. He called on the army authority to investigate and punish those who carried out the act.
