August 1: Troublemakers warned as Police, Niger Govt differ over Suleja protest

The Niger State Police command has announced that it would not tolerate any act of violence in the state during the planned nationwide protests.

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamm, issued the warning in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun.

The CP noted that the Command is not oblivious that peaceful protest is a right, but it will not accept violent protest.

However, DAILY POST reports that before the planned date, some youths on Monday took to the streets of Suleja along the Abuja-Kaduna road to protest the rising cost of living in the country while chanting anti-government songs.

They wielded placards with inscriptions such as ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’, ‘We Are Not Slaves In Our Country’, ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’, ‘Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back’, among others.

However, the Special Adviser to the Niger State Governor on Print Media, Mrs Aisha Wakaso, described reports of the protest in the state as false, while urging residents to continue their daily activities without fear

She noted that the Chairman of Suleja Local Government, Ishaku Bawa Naibi, has confirmed that no protest occurred in his jurisdiction, hence the reports are unfounded.

But the Police Command, which confirmed the protest in its statement, said, “Some boys were sighted along Kaduna road in Suleja in an attempt to block the road. The Area Commander Suleja swiftly moved with his team to the scene and the boys were dispersed peacefully.”

The statement also explained that to ensure public safety, secure critical government infrastructures, warehouses and markets and maintenance of law and order, the Command has directed for massive deployment of Police personnel and operational assets in collaboration with sisters’ security agencies to dominate public places.

“Furthermore, in case of any of demonstration in which no group of individuals has come out to approach or inform the Command of any intention to protest, or seek for any security coverage for protest, but the Command shall be fully on ground with other security agencies to ensure that such demonstration is not hijacked by miscreants who may want to use such avenue to cause a breach of public peace.

“The Police Command shall commence Show of Force within the state and other proactive security beef-up as a crime prevention measure for public safety, and not to intimidate, harass or violate anyone’s rights except the outlaws/miscreants who may have ulterior motives to cause public disorder, and these deployments can quickly intervene to neutralize any threat before, during and after the purported protest.”

The Police Command further warned potential miscreants to have a rethink, and urged parents and guardians to caution their children and wards against any act of violence, as such would be met with a stiffer security approach.

The statement then urged members of the public to continue to be law-abiding citizens, cooperate with security agencies and go about their lawful businesses without fear of molestation, intimidation or harassment from any quarter.