State commanders of the Nigeria Police Force have deployed men in flashpoints as organisers of the October 1 protest insist on carrying on with the event on Independence Day as scheduled.
If the demonstration holds, it will be the second time in two months that angry Nigerians will storm the streets in disapproval of the suffering in the country produced by the spike in petrol price and power tariff and the floating of the currency by President Bola Tinubu’s government.
izers, the #FearlessOctober1 rally is a continuation of the #Endbadgovernance protest, which occurred from August 1 to 10. They went on to say that the newest rally was prompted by the Federal Government’s inability to meet their demands, which include hunger in the country, rising food prices, insecurity, government wastefulness, electoral reforms, and human capital development, among others.
The group revealed that the FCT protest will take place at Eagle Square, the same location as the Independence Day procession, while the Lagos rally would take place at the Ikeja Under Bridge.
.On Sunday, human rights advocate and leader of the protest, Omoyele Sowore, said they were “fully prepared” for the protest, adding that they would hit the streets at 7am on the scheduled date.
In Lagos, the protest organisers plan to commence their march at the Ikeja Under Bridge at 7:30am
Reorts has revealed that Niger State Police Command has aleardy deployed personnel and security assets to avert any breakdown of law and order during the Independence Day celebration in the North central state.
In Suleja, a major town in Niger, six people were feared killed when protesters reportedly attempted to invade a police station during the #Endbadgovernance protest.
On Sunday in Minna, the state capital, gun-wielding security operatives were stationed in some of the major places, including popular markets and road junctions. Police patrol vehicles had also started moving around the city to ensure that peace was maintained in the state.
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- Wasiu Abiodun, spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, stated that the command will deploy an adequate number of troops and operational equipment to ensure public safety and order. Shawulu Danmamman, the state Commissioner of Police, directed Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders, and DPOs to increase police visibility in their respective regions in order to prevent a breach of public peace from occurring.
The Command had also engaged labour leaders, trades unions, youth and students leaders in the state and other critical stakeholders towards ensuring and sustaining the relative peace that is being enjoyed for economic growth and development of the state.”
The Kano State Police Command has also deployed police officers in strategic locations.
The Kano police said they have intimate them with the danger and high risk associaited with protest especially in Kano state.
Though, he assured residents of adequate security, saying the command was fully prepared for any eventuality.
In Kaduna, North Estern state of Nigeria, the state police command has taken proactive measures to curtailed potential violence during the planned protest in the state.
Shawulu Danmamman, the state Commissioner of Police, directed Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders, and DPOs to increase police visibility in their respective regions in order to prevent a breach of public peace from occurring.
The Command had also engaged labor leaders, trade unions, youth and student leaders in the state, as well as other important stakeholders, to ensure and sustain the relative peace that the state is currently enjoying in order to promote economic growth and development.
A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the deployment of personnel around the state to prevent a repeat of the deadly August protest.
The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Bethrand Onuoha, advised organisers of the protest to reconsider their plan and give government more time to fix the nation’s economy.
Onuoha stated this on Saturday while engaging with members of the Take It Back Movement, Kogi State chapter at the command’s headquarters in Lokoja.
A statement on Sunday by the PPRO, Kogi Command, William Aya, read in part, The CP advised the group to reconsider their planned protest and give government more time to fix the economy of our dear nation.
Onuoha noted that he called the meeting in response to the letter he received from the Take It Back Movement on Friday.
According to Him, the group has the right to peaceful protest in accordance with the constitution . We want to avoid playing into the hands of disgruntled elements or hoodlums and to avoid or prevent them from hijacking the process and unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens, destruction of their property, as well as damage of critical infrastructure which will in turn have serious adverse/negative impact on the nation’s economy.”
Ramhan Nansel, the PPRO, Nasarawa command, have deployed men across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state to ensure peace during the Independence celebrations.
He said, The command is fully prepared for the October 1 celebration, and whatever may arise before, during, and after the celebration. Manpower, assets and all our resources have been mobilised to ensure the state is peaceful from now on.”
We want to ensure peace and order because we always learn from the past,” the command’s PPRO, Abdullahi Haruna, rapidospace News learnt.
Haruna added that the command had also engaged the leadership of the Nigerian Patriotic Front Movement, which had indicated its intention to stage a peaceful protest on Tuesday.
The Borno State Command claims it has deployed soldiers to preserve law and order at crucial locations throughout the state.
ASP Nahum Daso, the command’s PPRO, stated “We have adequately deployed our men within the state to safeguard lives and property and we are ready to prevent any breakdown of law and order ahead of the Independence Day celebration.”
Abubakar Sadiq, the PPRO of the Katsina State Command, told in Katsina on Saturday that the command has mobilised both human and intelligence resources to ensure everyone’s safety before, during, and after the demonstration.
We will take efforts to maintain public safety and security, and sufficient troops have been deployed to ensure no breakdown of law and order, enough intelligence collection, surveillance, and improved
Alamutu also said that the command met with students body, transport union members, youth organisations among others on Sunday to engage them and dissuade them from participating in any unauthorised protest
Alamutu said, “By tomorrow (today), we shall embark on deployment of police operatives to flashpoints and vulnerable areas across the state. This is to send a powerful signal to all criminals and trouble makers that we won’t allow the peace we are enjoying in the state to be compromised under whatever guise.”
In Bayelsa, the command said it would provide security for the protesters and also forestall a breakdown of law and order during and after the protest.
The CP has directed all tactical units to be on alert to provide security for the protesters during and after the protest in order to avert any breakdown of law and order.”
On its part, the Rivers command said it won’t tolerate a breakdown of law and order in the state during the planned protest while operatives of the Delta command have been placed on red alert.
The Edo State Police Command Nemi Iwo said it was yet to relax the security measures put in place for the just-concluded governorship election in the state.
He noted that it would be sustained to ensure a peaceful Independence Day.
The security measures put in place before and during the just concluded election is still in place. It will be sustained to ensure a peaceful Edo State,
The Cross River State command PPRO, Irene Ugbo, recounted the huge destruction recorded in the state during the October 2020 Endsars protest, adding that the command was prepared to resist any form of aggrieved protest in the state.
