Police beef up security over planned one-million-man protest in Rivers

Ahead of Saturday’s planned one-million-man march to end the #EndBadGovernance protest, the Rivers State Police Command vowed to arrest anyone protesting outside the designated venues.

The command said the two places approved for the protest remained the Isaac Bora Park and the Pleasure Park both along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The police said the warning became imperative following a plot by some hoodlums who could not loot throughout the protest to use the final day to do so and cause mayhem in the state under the guise of a hunger protest.

The spokesman for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, stated this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Friday.

The statement read, “The Rivers State Police Command has been informed about the planned ‘One Million Man Protest’ scheduled to take place across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday, August 10, 2024.

“We are aware that some miscreants, who were previously prevented from engaging in looting and other criminal activities during the earlier days of the protest, have resolved to use this final day to harass innocent citizens, unleash mayhem, loot, and extort unsuspecting residents of the state.

“In light of this, the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Olatunji Disu, has directed all would-be protesters to converge at the designated areas of Abali Park and Pleasure Park to carry out the exercise.

“This will enable the police to effectively protect the protesters and curtail any breakdown of law and order in the state. The Command will not condone any protest or procession outside of these two designated areas.”

The command said it has placed all heads of tactical units and divisional heats on red in their various locations, saying it will not condone any act capable of causing a breach of the peace l.

“The Commissioner of Police has further instructed all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Tactical Team Commanders to implement robust patrol strategies and maintain close monitoring across their respective Areas of Responsibility.

“Their mandate is to apprehend and prosecute any individuals or groups found to be engaging in unlawful activities or causing disturbances. The Rivers State Police Command has demonstrated the highest level of professionalism in managing the protests over the past nine days, which has resulted in the state not recording any casualties.

“The command is committed to maintaining this record and will respond swiftly to any breach of law and order, without hesitation. The public is advised to refrain from any actions that may compromise the peace and security of the state. The Command is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents and will not tolerate any attempt to disrupt the public order,” the statement added.