The police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, emphasized that while the right to lawful assembly is respected, credible intelligence suggests that the protest could be infiltrated by hoodlums intent on causing disruption and mayhem. The police vowed to take all necessary lawful measures to protect lives and properties and warned that any individual or group attempting to disrupt the peace would be arrested and prosecuted.
In a related development, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has raised concerns over an alleged plot by former local government chairmen and 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to orchestrate a protest. ALGON’s Rivers chapter Chairman, Ichemati Ezebunwo, claimed that the planned protest aimed to destabilize governance and create an excuse for declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State.
According to The PUNCH reports, ALGON chairman said, “The planned protest is not in the interest of the local governments and the state in its entirety. Rather, it is a calculated attempt by enemies of our dear state to paint the people of the state in a bad light, unleash mayhem while at it, and use it to further buttress their inordinate call for the declaration of a state of emergency in our dear state”.
Ezebunwo highlighted that the protest was not in the interest of local governments or the state but was a calculated attempt to incite chaos and paint the state in a negative light. He expressed support for the police decision to secure the local government council secretariats and urged the public to remain vigilant.
The police have deployed officers to all 23 local government areas to maintain order and ensure the safety of the public. The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji, has instructed these officers to remain at their posts until the threat of disruption has subsided.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
