Juliana Francis
The Delta State and Enugu State Commissioners of Police, like other Commissioners in different commands across Nigeria, acting on the directives of the Inspector General of Police, have implored organizers of protest to furnish both commands with relevant details concerning the movements of the protesters.
The CP Delta State, Olufemi Abaniwonda said that the request was important for the safety of the protesters.
Abaniwonda urged both the organizers and those embarking on the protest to cooperate with the command to ensure that the proposed protest is carried out peacefully without being hijacked by unscrupulous persons
The CP assured residents in the state that the command will deploy all available resources to ensure that residents are protected during and after the protest and will continue to maintain law and order throughout the state.
He further said: “Those participating in any form of protest are therefore advised to ensure that they maintain the sanctity of public gathering and lawful assembly and avoid acts capable of leading to a breakdown of law and order in the state.
“To this end, the CP has ordered massive deployment across the state to forestall any breakdown of law and order. Undercover Police operatives from the State Intelligence Department have also been deployed to monitor activities during the protest and identify miscreants who want to cause mayhem during the protest.”
Similarly, the Enugu State CP, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has warned against acts of violence and breach of public peace by individuals or groups in the name of protest. The warning, he says, is considering available intelligence revealing the sinister plans of criminal elements to infiltrate, hijack the planned protest, and unleash mayhem on law-abiding citizens and property in the State.
The intelligence, the Commissioner further states, shows that the hoodlums, as experienced during the violent “End SARS” protests, intend to attack fellow citizens, destroy public and private property, and perpetrate acts of looting.
However, he reiterates the collaborative commitment of the police and other security forces to deal decisively with such criminal elements.
Furthermore, the CP recognizes the constitutional rights of citizens to lawfully assemble and express their grievances, as currently touted. However, he stresses that it will be completely unacceptable for them to allow such assemblies or protests to be hijacked and made to become violent, especially in these challenging times.
Consequently, the CP has cautioned those intending to carry out the planned protest in Enugu State to find reasons to shelve the plans, given the available intelligence, and seek alternative peaceful means to express their grievances.
Nevertheless, the Commissioner emphasizes that proceeding with the idea will require them to strictly adhere to existing laws, particularly the Public Order Act. Hence, they must apply, stating their leaders, date, time, place of takeoff, and duration of the exercise, subject to thorough assessment and approval of such applications.
