Independence Celebration in Rivers: Rivers Police Command, Civil Society Organizations talk tough on protest

BY IBRAHIM BAKARE

The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command CP Joseph G. Mukan, warned proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra,IPOB or any other groups planning to protest on independence day to desist.

CP Mukan’s warning was contained in Nigeria’s  Independence good will message against the backdrop of the planned “Revolution Now” protest by the Rivers Civil Society Organizations, RIVCSO, due the inability of the Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC and Trade Union Congress,TUC suspended planned strike against fuel price hike and Electricity tariff.

CP Joseph Mukan, Rivers State Police Command

According to RIVCSO,  “we cannot fold our arms and do nothing in the face of stinking corruption that has bedeviled our country to a level that is now excruciating, as not only our generations, but even those after ours will bear the brunt of such inaction, so we have decided to join forces with Nigerians who are suffering the hike in the petroleum pump price, and those agonizing from the pain of increased electricity tariffs even with epileptic power situation that has hampered our industrial growth for uncountable decades with no end in sight, to say enough is enough.”

The group in a statement by signed by Comrade Solomon Lenu its Spokeman, said its members have decided to lend their voices to condemn the five percent in leadership positions, who have held the ninety-five percent of Nigerians hostage of bad governance and economic strangulation.

“We have decided to resist because any further silence will make us complicit in the annihilating malfeasance that has held us all down, and made the country a suckling baby in the league of nations who goes cap in hand from country to country, begging for loans sixty years after independence amidst stupendously mismanaged wealth.

“RIVCSO will tomorrow, October 1, March in solidarity with those who are crying in our same language, and we call on all well meaning Nigeria residents in Rivers state to come all out let’s make a bold statement that will echo beyond the shores of this already suffocating nation, because the new day we all dream of will never come by mere wishful thinking but by civil struggle because none has ever achieved any change without a fire.

However,alluding to warning by the Police against protest, RIVCSO said  those who may want to truncate the redemption movement tomorrow should know that, peaceful protests and processions are civil rights of every citizen, and its also backed by the highest law of our land and those beyond the land, as it is a fundamental human right in the United nations charter.

“Come tomorrow October 1st, we once again invite every member of the public to come all out let’s show our resentment for this near failed state call Nigeria by joining the Revolution Now protest at Isaac Boro park by 9am”

On its the Police boss in the state has assured the good people of the State that there is no cause for alarm as adequate security deployments have been made to ensure that the Diamond Celebrations are carried out in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, while warning trouble makers and all criminal elements to have a rethink or face the full weight of the law

He sounded it loud and clear to anybody or group under whatever guise, planning to stage a protest, or issuing an unlawful order of sit-at- home to immediately shelve the idea, as no effort will be spared in dealing with them.

According to the CP, adequate security arrangements have been emplaced which include, the covering of all coastal communities, border communities, city centres, flash points, key and vulnerable points, noting that patrol vans have been deployed to strategic locations within the Metropolis to strengthen visibility policing among other structures put in place.

CP Mukan enjoined the people of the State to come out enmasse and celebrate Nigeria at 60, without fear of molestation, while observing all COVID-19 Prevention Protocols.