By Disin Amosun
Natives of Abuja, under the umbrella of the FCT Youth Stakeholders Forum yesterday took their protests over perceived marginalization into the Board of the North Central Development Commission NCDC and in the process incurred the wrath of security personnel who eventually dispersed them by raining canisters of teargas on them.
The youths were protesting the appointment of Mr Solomon Adodo, a native of Benue state into the board of the newly constituted NCDC, urging the senate president Godswil Akpabio to reverse the appointment.
The FCT natives that cut across the nine indigenous tribes adorned with their garbs in their numbers carried placards with inscriptions such as “NCDC is not only for Benue State” Senator Akpabio don’t short change people of the FCT” ” Benue state has three representatives already” “Adodo is from Benue State” amongst others.
In the melee that ensued, two persons collapsed after operatives of the FCT Police fired teargas to disperse them.
Police operatives stationed at the main gate of the national assembly denied the protesters access into the assembly, as they were asked m to outside the gate.
The Sergeant at Arms of the national assembly later came to addressed the protesters to remain peaceful and calm as leadership of the will come to address them, but they remained adamant, continually blocking access into the NASS.
At about 11:28 am, a senior police officer led over 30 policemen to the gate and shot teargas to disperse the protesters.
