Tension erupted at the main entrance of the National Assembly on Tuesday after operatives of the Nigeria Police Force fired teargas at protesters gathered to oppose the Senate’s approval of both electronic transmission and manual collation of election results.
The confrontation began when demonstrators, who had assembled in large numbers to voice their grievances, attempted to force their way into the National Assembly complex. Security personnel responded by deploying canisters of teargas to disperse the crowd.
The action triggered panic as hundreds of protesters — many of them women — scrambled for safety. In the confusion, several people reportedly fell over one another while trying to flee the choking fumes.
An eyewitness said an elderly woman collapsed after inhaling teargas during the chaos, heightening fears among the demonstrators.
As of press time, security operatives had secured the area, while protesters regrouped at a distance from the complex. The incident adds to growing tensions surrounding the contentious electoral reforms currently before lawmakers.
