Charles Oputa porpularly known as Charly boy, narrowly escaped lynching yesterday after protesters demanding that President Muhammadu Buhari should resume or resign, were confronted by supporters of the President in Abuja.
Charles Oputa, who has become the face of the campaign, according to multiple witnesses, was lucky to have escaped alive.
The clash happened at Wuse Market in the heart of the capital city. The market was immediately shut to avert further clashes.
The clash happened on the eve of the 100th day after President Buhari left Abuja to London for medical treatment.
Earlier in the day, presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, had asked the protesters, who had protested daily in Abuja to go and look for work, if they had nothing better to do on the claim that the President satisfied every constitutional requirement before departure.
The protesters in a statement, described the attack on them as completely unprovoked, vowing that the group will sustain its demand on the President to resign from office if he was no longer up to his duties.
Sources said the group was set for a major sit-in today to mark the 100th day of the President’s absence.
It was gathered that trouble started when some members of the Resume or Resign group approached the Wuse Market.
According to the source, Charly Boy and his group on arrival at about 10.30 a.m, were resisted at the main gate of the market by leader of the Market Task Force, identified as Musa. He was allegedly attracted to Charly Boy upon cheers the musician received from traders and shoppers.
Apparently embarrassed by the actions of Musa, the musician inquired to know why he would be stopped from gaining access to the market. Dissatisfied with the reasons, the ace musician began verbal exchange with the market officials which dovetailed into the clash.
The exchange of words, it was gathered, attracted a mob of pro-Buhari supporters who were said to have attacked Charly Boy and his entourage with stones and other weapons.
The mob responded to the visitors with chants of “Sai Baba, Sai Baba” affirming that they have no right to bring their protest to the market.
Charly Boy was said to have sustained injuries, while his car was badly damaged in the course of the fight.
The development threw the entire market into disarray. There was pandemonium in the entire market vicinity. Both buyers and sellers, who were already inside the market, scampered for safety.
