One-million-man march: Why protesters stayed away – Rivers organisers

#EndBadGovernanceInGovernance protesters were absent on the streets of Port Harcourt and its environs as the protest wound up on Saturday.

Organisers of the protest had said there would be a one-million-man March on Saturday to signal the end of the 10 days of protest against economic hardship.

But it was the third day in a roll that protesters have refused to come out over fear that the protest would be hijacked by hoodlums.

This came as the operatives of the Rivers State Police Command were in a show of force on Saturday morning coupled with a huge presence in strategic parts of the state.

There was commotion on Wednesday after some persons opposed to the protest chased away the protesters who had converged outside the federal secretariat on Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

Following the situation, the police moved to disperse the groups to forestall a possible clash.

The police later arrested three protesters during the melee over alleged looting and burning of tyres.

The spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement on Friday night, said anyone protesting outside the two designated areas ‘The Isaac Boro Park and The Pleasure’ both along Aba Road, would be arrested.

The statement read in part, “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.

“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.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday, several units of policemen moved around major areas in Port Harcourt in a show of force over the planned one-million-man protest to signal the end of the hunger protest.

Our correspondent who monitored the situation reports that operatives were seen in patrol vans on the last day of the 10-day hunger protest.

Earlier at the Pleasure Park, one of the centres designated by the police for the protest, operatives held a parade and were addressed by a senior officer after which they dispersed to various locations in the metropolis and its environs.

Police patrol vans were also mounted at the gate of the Federal Secretariat, while several operatives hung around in vigilance in the event of any untoward incident.

Up until 1 pm, there was no sign of protest in the city as operatives kept moving around strategic places.

When contacted, one of the organisers of the protest, Gogo Wellington, said fear of violence erupting during the protest was why they had not shown up in the streets in the last three days.

Wellington however advised the Federal Government to ensure that the demands of the protesters are addressed to avert agitation in the country.

He stated “The Government has paid a dead ear to the cries of Nigerians. We call on the government to desist from that attitude because power comes from the people.

“And if the people decide to show the government what they can do, the government cannot withstand it. Therefore government should listen to the people that things are not going well with us.

“Nigerians cannot afford the basic necessities of life. Why will the government be spending billions on frivolous items? So the government should immediately come up with measures to counter this hardship that is currently pervading the land.”

He recalled with bitterness that some persons tried to disrupt genuine protesters and attacked some of them including newsmen, saying, “For that reason, we have decided not to come out to avoid any clash.

“But like I said, we hope that the government will be up and doing and immediately address the problems.”