Reps to Investigate Tear Gas Incident at NASS Protest

The House of Representatives in Nigeria is set to probe the incident involving the use of tear gas against protesters at the National Assembly, as announced by spokesman Akin Rotimi. The protest was aimed at expressing dissatisfaction with the Senate's approval of electronic transmission of election results alongside manual collation.

Rotimi acknowledged citizens' constitutional right to peaceful protest and stressed the need for security agencies to maintain order while protecting lives and property. Eyewitnesses reported panic among the crowd, particularly among women, with two women fainting due to exposure to tear gas.

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi condemned the use of tear gas, asserting that peaceful protests are a constitutional right and calling for credible elections. He warned that such actions could further damage Nigeria's democratic integrity and urged citizens to unite in resisting actions that weaken democratic institutions, emphasizing the importance of electoral reform for national progress.