One of the protesters who demonstrated in solidarity with President Muhammadu Buhari said he and other members of the group were paid ₦1,500 to hold a counter-protest.
The pro-Buhari group’s rally is to show support for Buhari to commemorate the June 12 Democracy Day of Nigeria.
Earlier on Saturday, an internal tussle broke out amongst members of the #IStandWithBuhari protest group.
A pro-Buhari protester Abdul Yussuf said he and others were mobilised by one Mohammed Garba to stage a protest at Unity Fountain, Abuja. An anti-Buhari protest is also stagged at the same venue.
He said the protesters were promised between ₦1,000 and ₦1,500 to show support for Buhari and the government of Nigeria.
“I was just at my house this morning and they called me that we should come and do protest – they promised to pay us – some ₦2,000, some ₦1,500,” Yussuf said in a video posted on Twitter by Premium Times.
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“I am sure that they are going to pay us because our leader is here too.”
The president’s supporters gathered with customised T-shirts and placards, some of which read, ‘Nigerians say no to fake activist’, ‘Nigerians say no to violence’.