Shortly before organized labour called off the strike action over the increase in the pump price of petrol, security agents across the country went beserk.
In Abuja, some soldiers brutalized a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, while agents of the State Security Service invade the Lagos offices of the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Cable News Network.
As earlier reported by The Eagle Online, the soldiers deployed to keep protesters off the streets in Lagos went on a shooting spree in Lagos, horse whipping some people in the process.
According a El-Rufai’s close ally, Femi Fani-Kayode, on his wall on a social media, Facebook, the former Minister was brutalized by the soldiers in Wuse, Abuja.
Fani-Kayode, who also served as a minister in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo where El-Rufai also served, it was the grace of God that prevented the killing of anyone in that part of Wuse where protesters used as a point of convergence after being denied the use of Eagle Square.
Fani-Kayode said it was not only El-Rufai that was brutalized.
He wrote: “My friend and brother Nasir El-Rufai has just been attacked and brutalised by a group of soldiers led by a colonel of the Nigerian Army in Wuse 2, Abuja. They tried to get his phone from him and to grab other recording devices of the Occupy Nigeria Group. This happened at the spot that the group usually converges to meet and demonstrate. Many other members of the group were attacked as well and I guess that we are lucky that no-one was killed. Welcome to Goodluck’s Nigeria.”
Agents of the SSS also invaded the Lagos offices of the BBC and CNN as reported on the website of The PUNCH.
According to the report, both BBC and CNN have demanded for explanation for the invasion.
In one of the postings on its Newshour handle, the BBC wrote, “We’re investigating reports that secret service have forced their way into CNN, BBC building in Lagos, Nigeria. We’re talking to our Lagos bureau team now to find out what’s going on. Security services leave BBC, CNN building in Lagos. Correspondent tells us Nigeria wants to keep media on a ‘short finger.’”
On its part, the CNN said in a Twitter message, “Nigerian authorities enter CNN Lagos bureau unannounced today. No raids occur. CNN requests explanation and continues to report as usual.”