The police in Lagos on Wednesday fired tear gas to disperse para-athletes who staged a protest in Surulere, Lagos, over their exclusion from the 2022 National Sports Festival in Delta state.

Footages circulated on social media shows the persons living with disabilities scampering for safety as the police fired shots to scare away the protesters from blocking the road leading to the National Stadium, Surulere.

A witness, identified as Rebecca said that some para-athletes were excluded from the upcoming National Sports Festival. 

She said the athletes were told that there is no sufficient funds to support them during the competition.

She narrated that the protesters assembled on the road insisting that the minister of sport Sunday Dare must address the protesters but the police fired tear gas at the protesters which caused the mayhem.

Police spokesman in Lagos Benjamin Hundeyin said minimal force was applied by the security operatives to disperse the crowd.

“A group of people were dispersed with minimal force, as prescribed by law, after they refused all persuasion to leave the highway for free flow of traffic. Many Nigerians had complained of being illegally restrained in traffic. We rose to the occasion. No assault, injury or death,” Mr Hundeyin said.