A tense standoff unfolded in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as police confronted protesters demanding the repeal of the Cybercrime Act and the return of Government in the state.
The protesters, affiliated with the ‘Take It Back Movement’, had gathered at Isaac Boro Park, despite police warnings to cancel the rally.
According to eyewitnesses, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) initially instructed the protesters to relocate to the Federal Secretariat along Aba Road, designating it as a safer venue.
However, as the protesters approached the CFC roundabout, police officers providing security suddenly blocked their path and began firing teargas canisters.
The protesters, insisting on continuing their demonstration, were met with increasing intensity of teargas, forcing them to flee and disperse. Several protesters, including journalists, were injured in the chaos.
The protesters’ key demands include the repeal of the Cybercrime Act, which they claim infringes on citizens’ rights and freedoms, and the reinstatement of Governor Fubara, whom they argue was unconstitutionally removed.
The police response was marked by a heavy deployment of security personnel, with approximately 15 patrol vehicles and military personnel involved in quelling the protest.
An eyewitnesses narrated: “The Protesters were there and the DPO came and address them and told them that they should leave that particular place, which is Isaac Boro Park where the protest was scheduled to hold initially and move to Federal Secretariat along Aba Road that, that is where is designated for them to carry out their protest.
“So while they were about going to the Federal Secretariat, around the CFC roundabout where there is the Catholic Church, when they got to the roundabout, the same police officers that were actually providing security where double crossed, we saw several security vehicles double cross us and asked their colleagues to go back that we can not continue the protest.
“So at that point, the protesters insisted that the protest will go on, that they had given them the Aba Road venue to gather there and carry out their protest. The police were adamant that it is no longer safe for them to carry on the protest, that they disperse at that point in time.
“And just from behind, the police started firing canisters of teargas at the protesters. The intensity of the teargas increased and the protesters could not bear it because it was choking and they all fled and tagged around that area and dispersed. Even Military personnel were part of the the team, about 15 security patrol vehicles moving around, chasing people all around, moving from Aba Road chasing people suspected to be protesters.
“The DPO of that particular place of GRA axis told the protesters that they should leave that particular place that they have made available a place at the Federal Secretariat to muster.”
Some of the organisers of the who spoke to The Whistler vowed to continue its campaign for good governance and political accountability, despite the police pushback.
The coordinator of Take it Back Movement in Rivers State, Amanye King, said: “We are here as an organization affiliated with other organizations to match and express our grievances, we are not here to cause any harm and the security agencies are here dispersing our people.
“We want the repeal of the Cybercrime Act, and as Rivers people we are here to speak against the unconstitutional removal of our elected governor and the Rivers State House of Assembly. We are here to demand a government for the people of Rivers State because as it stands now we do not have a government. This government is alien to our people, unconstitutional and we are here to demand that our Governor is returned.
“We have a social contract with the governor and not with the Sole Administrator. This is democracy, we are here to match against these issues.
Solomon Lenu, Coalition of the Rivers State Civil Society said: it is important for Rivers People to understand that what is happening in Nigeria is a rape on democracy because there is no reason whatsoever why an elected government will be suspended for no just cause. We are in a democracy not in a dictatorship system.
Police Fire Teargas To Disperse Protesters In Port Harcourt is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
