Presently, one out of every three Nigerians are malnourished. On a daily basis, over 46 million people go to bed hungry despite the fact that Nigeria is Africa’s most oil rich nation.
Action Aid, a non-governmental organization involved in development work, organized a march in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, to raise awareness “about widespread hunger in Africa’s most populous nation.” At Friday’s march, participants hoped to present petitions to President Umaru Yar’Adua and government officials to encourage implementation of new laws and policies to help end hunger.
An organizer of the march described the situation in Nigeria as “their hunger is an indictment of those who have more than enough to eat in a country with more than enough resources and potential to banish the hunger it breeds.”
On Friday, the marchers became rowdy and played loud music. Environmental policy protection officials became disturbed when marchers littered the ground with discarded polythene bags. Marchers ignored attempts from the environmental officials, and the police were called to the scene. Ultimately, the police dispersed hundreds of campaigners with teargas and arrested twenty one individuals. The march was deemed illegal as organizers never obtained a permit from the board.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has attempted to obtain comments from the leader of the mobile police team on the action of his men. However, all attempts by news agencies have been rebuffed by the police leader.
For more information, please see:
Angola Press – Police Stop Nigeria Hunger March – 17 July 2007
BBC – Police Stop Nigeria Hunger March – 16 July 2007
Daily Triumph – Hunger march protesters, teargased, 21 arrested – 13 July 2007
BBC – Country Profile: Nigeria – 29 May 2007
