Independence Day celebrations in Abuja and Warri, Delta State, turned contentious on Wednesday after youths protested against the alleged introduction of political messaging into events organised to mark Nigeria’s 66th anniversary.
Viral videos of the two incidents circulating across social media showed youths in Abuja confronting organisers at a festival, while participants at an Independence Day run in Warri tore shirts bearing President Bola Tinubu’s image.
In Abuja, the incident occurred at the Monoliza area, where a crowd had gathered for a night Independence Day festival.
Videos from the event showed a confrontation involving youths and people reportedly linked to the organisers, amid allegations that the gathering had been turned into a political mobilisation in support of Tinubu.
The videos showed disorder at the venue, although the identities of those involved and the circumstances that led to the confrontation could not be independently established from the footage.
A similar incident occurred earlier in Warri, where youths gathered at PTI Junction for a planned 5km Independence Day run.
Trouble started after organisers distributed “Soft Nigeria” polo shirts bearing Tinubu’s image, according to reports and videos from the scene.
Some participants refused to wear the shirts and tore them apart, while other footage showed some of the shirts being set on fire. The youths were also heard chanting, “Obi! Obi! Obi!”
The reaction reportedly disrupted the planned exercise, with some participants threatening to boycott the event.
The incidents have generated reactions on social media, with discussions centred on whether political branding should be introduced into public events held to celebrate the country’s independence.
In both cases, the available videos show the protests and confrontations but do not, on their own, establish the full circumstances behind the events or the motives of all those involved.
The incidents occurred amid increased political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, when public gatherings are increasingly being used by political actors and groups for mobilisation.
The organisers of the Abuja festival and the Warri run had not publicly responded to the incidents as of the time of filing this report.
