BREAKING! Youths Storm National Assembly, Demand End To Social Media, Hate Speech Bill (photos)

Many Nigreian Youths marched to the National Assembly complex in Abuja, demanding an end to the hate speech bill and that the Senate drop the bill it is considering to regulate social media in Nigeria.

During the protest, a policeman, Adiogu Eyinnaya, seized the camera of a journalist who came to cover the protest.

Mr. Enyinnaya assaulted the journalist, Tosin Busayo, asking him why he was filming a policeman who asked a procession of protesters to go back.

The protesters started the march at a section of the National Assembly gate when another set moved in through the left flank of the gate.

A policeman closed in on them saying, “Go back. You are not part of this protest. We don’t know you.”

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“No. They are Nigerians. They have the right to protest,” came the response of one of the protesters.

It appeared this did not go well with the policemen who were already closing in on the procession in their numbers.

While this was on, the journalist, Mr Busayo, who works for RootsTV, filmed.

Mr Eyinnaya, who cut the frame of the most senior of the police officers, whipped the journalist’s hand with his baton, and yanked the camera off Mr Busayo’s grip, before seizing it.

As he gripped it, he tried breaking the flex but the journalist prevented him from doing so.

“Why would you be filming the policemen?” he asked, threatening to take him to the security post.

Some of the journalists close by pleaded with him. Others challenged him.

Mr Enyinnaya eventually released the camera.

The protest was still on as at the time of this report.

The protesters are asking the legislators to drop the anti-social media bill which seeks to regulate the use of social media.

They also demand the release of Omoyele Sowore, Abba Jalingo and others who are held against court orders.