Security operatives at the Bauchi Government House gate clashed with Hamza Waziri, a leader of the Initiative for the Liberalisation of Physically Challenged People, on the first day of hunger protests in the state.
A viral video on social media shows security personnel wrestling with Waziri, who uses a wheelchair.
In an interview following the incident, Hamza Waziri explained that he and other physically challenged individuals were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest when security forces attacked them. Waziri recounted, “I decided to organise this protest to show my displeasure with the current economic situation of the country. In the process, I was doing a live video, so one of the police came to me and said that I had filmed him. They were trying to grab the phone from me and kept brutalizing me. They gave me a couple of punches, as you can see from the video.”
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Waziri emphasized the peaceful nature of their demonstration, stating, “There were not more than ten of us, but I was the only one actually standing in front of the Government House just to raise our placards that said, ‘Employment should be for all,’ ‘Everybody should be allowed to be employed,’ ‘Inclusive Society.’ So that is what basically transpired between us and the security.”
In response to the incident, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed ordered a thorough investigation. His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, issued a press release stating, “The incident, which occurred on August 1, 2024, during the #EndBadGovernance protest, was captured in a viral video and has sparked widespread concern.”
Gidado emphasized that the state government condemns the actions of the security personnel involved and assured the public that the officers will be held accountable if found to have acted improperly. “Governor Bala Mohammed has made it clear that the welfare and rights of all citizens, especially vulnerable groups, remain his top priority. He directed a thorough investigation to ascertain the facts surrounding the incident and ensure that justice is served,” Gidado added.
The government urged the public to remain calm and abide by all rules and regulations during and after the demonstration, reaffirming the governor’s commitment to upholding justice, fairness, and respect for human rights.
