FCT natives protest over exclusion from NCDC

A protest broke out at the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday when a group of residents from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) demonstrated against their exclusion from the newly formed North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

The protest was organized by FCT natives who were displeased with the appointment of Solomon Adodo, a native of Benue State, to the board of the commission.

The protesters believed that the FCT deserved its own representative and accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of giving away the slot meant for the territory to someone from Benue, a state that already has multiple representatives.

As the crowd gathered at the National Assembly gate, they held up placards with messages expressing their anger.

Some of the signs pointed out that Benue already had enough members on the board and asked why the FCT was left out.

They urged authorities to reconsider the appointment, arguing that the people of Abuja had been sidelined.

Things escalated when the protest turned rowdy.

According to witnesses, the crowd was chanting and moving closer to the assembly building when police officers stepped in.

The mobile police fired teargas to disperse the group, causing panic as protesters ran in different directions.

Some shouted that they were being attacked despite protesting peacefully.

The protest ended abruptly as the crowd was forced to leave.

Several videos recorded at the scene showed the confusion as people fled the area, insisting they had only come to demand fairness.