Group Demands Probe Into Use Of Tear Gas On Protesters At National Assembly Entrance

The Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) has called for an immediate and transparent investigation into the use of teargas by Police to disperse protesters demanding electoral reform at the National Assembly entrance.

It also threatened to institute legal action against the National Assembly and the Nigeria Police Force.
The group, in a statement signed by its Head of National Secretariat, Olawale Okunniyi, condemned what it described as the violent dispersal of peaceful demonstrators at the National Assembly complex, warning that such actions could undermine democratic institutions and public trust.

MCE alleged that security operatives deployed tear gas against unarmed citizens who had gathered to demand transparency in the electoral process, particularly on provisions relating to electronic transmission of election results.

Okunniyi said, “The use of tear gas and brute force against peaceful demonstrators does not defend democracy; it undermines it. When citizens ask for credible elections and are met with force, the question is no longer about procedure, it becomes about power.”

The group maintained that citizens have both the constitutional right and civic responsibility to peacefully demand credible electoral processes, stressing that the use of force against demonstrators raises concerns about the protection of democratic freedoms.

It argued that the alleged crackdown created the perception that state institutions were being used to shield controversial legislative decisions from public scrutiny, a development it said could erode confidence in both the legislature and law enforcement agencies.

MCE called for an immediate and transparent investigation into the police action against protesters, as well as a public clarification from the National Assembly regarding its commitment to clearly defined safeguards for electronic transmission of election results.

The organisation also demanded an inclusive engagement process involving civil society groups and citizens in the ongoing electoral reform discussions.

The group further warned that suppressing lawful dissent poses risks to democratic consolidation, noting that the credibility of the 2027 general elections would depend largely on how public institutions respond to citizens’ demands for electoral transparency.

MCE urged Nigerians to remain peaceful and vigilant while it prepares to commence legal proceedings against the National Assembly and the police over the incident.

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