Thugs yesterday attacked the #BringBackOurGirls protesters staging sit-out at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, damaging the chairs they used in meetings.

Leaders of the mainly female group, who alleged they were attacked with bottles under the watchful eyes of the police, said they had notified the police about the aggressive tendencies of the #ReleaseOurGirls campaigners who had taken over their sit-out spot a day before at the fountain.

The #BringBackOurGirls protesters have been sitting-out at the fountain for about a month now to mount pressure on the federal government to increase effort at rescuing the almost 300 school girls kidnapped by Boko Haram members in Chibok, Borno State 45 days ago.

Policemen stood watch as the attack took place, former Minister of Education Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili said.

However, a rival group believed to be sponsored by the federal government emerged last Monday arguing that instead of blaming government, protesters should face the Boko Haram insurgents.

On Tuesday, the new group took over the spot used by the old group and attempted to chase to them away.

“They came and they beat the women. They used the chairs, broke the chairs. They broke bottles. They did all kinds of things over the heads of very, very civil women and men,” a leader of the protest, Mrs. Ezekwesili said.

She faced a Police officer Hussaini Dodo and said: “Tell your CP (Commissioner of Police) that I have a message for him. Nigeria will not always be like this. People have to be careful what they do with the citizens of this country. We sent a letter today, acknowledged, telling you that there was rising trend of aggression towards us. And yet, you deployed police to guard the rented crowd. And the police stood. They watched it (the attack) happened.”

Coordinator of the protest Hadiza Bala Usman said “I spoke to him (CP) on the telephone. I told the CP at 12 noon that this is happening. I am submitting a letter at 1:00pm that they were attacking us, there is aggression, and there is confrontation. They watched it happen.”

But the protesters have vowed to go on with in until the Chibok girls are found.

“Let the FG & associates know that we the women, men, youths & children of #AbujaFamily of #BringBackOurGirls are resolute to keep standing,” Ezekwesili tweeted.

Throughout their representation to the policeman, members of the rival group who destroyed the chairs were singing and dancing in loud voices.

The #ReleaseOurGirls campaigners were all over the fountain with mobile electronic billboards and a balloon campaigning for President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo.

•Credit (except headline): Daily Trust. Photo shows the venue of the #BringBackOurGirls sit-out in Abuja after the attack by #ReleaseOurGirls campaigners.

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