A peaceful protest in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday, turned into violence as some policemen allegedly attacked and teargassed the protesters, including journalists covering the peaceful march.
THISDAY gathered that the protesters led by one Amanye King, Coordinator of “Take it Back”, began their peaceful march from the popular Isaac Boro park in Mile 1 axis of Port Harcourt, and on getting to CFC junction on Aba Road, Port Harcourt, they had the attack from the police personnel.
Earlier, the leader of the protest, Amanye explained that the purpose for the protest was to express their grievances over the repeal of the Cyber Crime Act, and also the unconstitutional removal of our elected governor and Rivers State House of Assembly members.
Amanye explained “We are here as an organisation affiliated with other groups, as Rivers people to march and express our grievances. We are not here to cause any harm and the security men are here with us.
“Our grievances are the repeal of the cyber crime act, as Rivers people, the unconstitutional removal of our elected governor and Rivers State House of Assembly.
“We are demanding for a government for the people of Rivers State, because as it stands this military government is alien to our people, so, we are here to demand that our governor comes back to office and lead us appropriately.”
He said “We have a social contract with the governor, we don’t have any contract with the sole administrator, for this is democracy”.
Also, Solomon Lenu, who spoke for the coalition of Rivers State civil society on the protest, said Nigeria is in a dictatorship rule and not democracy. He condemned the suspension of an elected government for a military administration.
“It is important for Rivers people and Nigerians to understand that what is happening today in the country is actually a rape on democracy, because there is no reason why an elected government will be suspended for no just cause. We are in a democracy not in a dictatorship.”
He said “Rivers people must come out because it is important for them to know that even freedom is not free. What is happening here today is evil, fighting against the democracy that our forebearers fought for. So if we don’t fight back and demand that the constitutionally elected leaders of the State be reinstated, then we have already failed our forbearers”.
Meanwhile, a few minutes into the protest, at CFC junction, some policemen trying to disperse the peaceful protesters shot tear gas canisters at them including journalists who were covering the march.
A reporter with Channels TV was arrested and subsequently released, while other journalists both from radio stations and newspaper had minor injury while trying to escape the canister.
One of the protesters who gave his name as Chetam Nwala, decried that they were only demanding for the return of democracy in the state when they were attacked by the police.
He said “It is unfortunate and sad that we came out to protest and demand a return to democracy as well as demand that the Cyber Bill should be abandoned. We were peaceful, protesting on the street, the police came out, shot gun on us, shot teargas to disperse us.
“Even when we have the police permission to embark on the peaceful protest. But the police came at this point, injured a few of us and arrested the Channels TV reporter and cameraman.
I don’t know why some people will think they own the nation. We should realise that we are all Nigerians and we cannot all be intimidated. They can intimidate a few but not all of us”, Nwala decried.
In a reaction to the protest, the spokesperson of the Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko claimed that there was no attack on the protesters.
A statement by Iringe-Koko described the peaceful protesters as a group of miscreants engaging in criminal acts, including the theft of mobile phones and other valuables from unsuspecting members of the public.
Even when the incident was live online, the police spokesperson said the police attack was “baseless story appears to be a deliberate fabrication by mischief makers seeking to incite public anxiety and create unnecessary tension within the state”.
She said “The Rivers State Police Command strongly condemns this act of misinformation and warns individuals or groups behind the spread of such falsehoods to desist immediately. Disseminating unverified and misleading information poses a serious threat to public peace and security”.
The police spokesperson reaffirmed the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the State in a professional, lawful, and community-friendly manner.
