APC Convention: Police Teargas Delegates, Journalists As Thugs Strike
Armed policemen have fired teargas canisters at the crowd including accredited delegates and journalists at the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the All Progressives Congress national convention.
The event was greeted with chaos when political thugs loyal to different politicians arrived the venue in attempt to force their way inside the convention ground.
The situation forced security operatives to fire teargas at the crowd as delegates and journalists scampered for safety.
The hoodlums also took advantage to pick pockets and operate unhindered as mobile phones and money were stolen from unsuspecting delegates and journalists.
Many of them were arrested in the process.
The situation was caused by the diversion from the main entrance which was restricted to non VIPs, forcing some non-statutory delegates and accredited journalists to use the inner gate through the car park of the Federal Secretariat.
On getting there, political thugs in their number turned back from the main gate and took over the inner as they overwhelmed security at the entrance.
It took the reinforcement from by-standing security operatives to regain control of the situation.
Having brought the chaos under control, the visibly angry police operatives charged at the waiting crowd using sniffer dogs and pepper spray to disperse the surging crowd leading to another round of stampede.
As at the time of this report, the statutory delegates made up of the President, his Vice, governors and their deputies as well as federal and state legislators were yet to arrive the venue.
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