Tolu Omoboyowa

Massive protest has rocked the nation’s federal capital, Abuja following the killing of a newspaper vendor by a security aide to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The vendor, Ifeanyi Elechi, was said to have been shot dead on Thursday evening by a security aide to Gbajabiamila.

Scores of vendors took to the streets on Friday to protest the killing and demand for justice.

The protesters are members of the Abuja Newspapers Distributors Association (ANDA). The peaceful protest started after members of ANDA converged at the distribution center in Area 1.

They were armed with placards, some of which read: “#Vendors lives matter,” “#NASS must take action,” “Justice for Elechi,” “Elechi’s death must not be in vain,” among others.

The protesters said the overzealous security aide must be brought to book, saying that Elechi was shot in the head by the security operatives.

Gbajabiamila had reacted to the killing, describing it a horrible.

In series of tweets, the Speaker said “A horrible incident has taken place. This evening as I left the national assembly, I stopped as usual to exchange pleasantries with the newspaper vendors at the corner. Many of them have known me since I first moved to Abuja and it was a friendly exchange.

“Unfortunately, after the convoy set out in continuation of movement, unidentified men obstructed the convoy which got the attention of security men in the convoy who shot into the air to disperse them.

In series of tweets, the Speaker said “A horrible incident has taken place. This evening as I left the national assembly, I stopped as usual to exchange pleasantries with the newspaper vendors at the corner. Many of them have known me since I first moved to Abuja and it was a friendly exchange.

“Unfortunately, after the convoy set out in continuation of movement, unidentified men obstructed the convoy which got the attention of security men in the convoy who shot into the air to disperse them.