The Commissioner of Police in Abuja, Joseph Mbu, on Monday said protests demanding the rescue of over 250 girls kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State, pose a serious security threat.
Mr. Mbu, known to violently crack down on protesters including students and lecturers of higher institutions, announced the ban at a news conference in Abuja. “Protests on the Chibok girls are hereby banned with immediate effect,” Mr. Mbu said.
He said information at his disposal indicates that “dangerous elements” are about to hijack the protest, citing the emergence of rival group, “Release Our Girls”, that attacked the members of the Abuja #BringBackOurGirls campaign, breaking bottles on their heads, and destroying cameras of journalists.
Mr. Mbu, whose officials watched while this happened, also did not condemn the actions of the Release Our Girls campaigners.
“Information reaching us is that too soon, dangerous elements will join groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosives aimed at embarrassing the government,’’ he said. “As the FCT police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness.”
Mr. Mbu said a situation where the `Fountain of Unity’, venue of gathering for the protest, was being turned into a place for “cooking and selling” was embarrassing.
He said many diplomats live in that area; and called on residents of Abuja to encourage the security agencies in the war against terrorism and criminality by appreciating the sacrifices they had made.
Asked whether the ban would not violate the freedom of expression and assembly, he said the protests were becoming a nuisance.
“People have been protesting over a month now…it is the issue of terrorism, it is not solved in one day.
“Then, when you continue to do it persistently, it becomes nuisance to the government,’’ he said
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The protesters and Nigerians greeted the ban on protests calling for the rescue of the girls with anger and condemnations.
One of the leading figures of the women-led protest, Obiageli Ezekwesili, on Monday condemned the ban.
Ms. Ezekwesili, a leader of the group, in a tweet via her twitter handle, @obyezeks said there no basis for the Mr. Mbu to ban a peaceful assembly by citizens.
“There is no BASIS for and no POWER of FCT Commissioner of Police to ban peaceful assembly of any group of persons in the city. None @ ALL,” Ms. Ezekwesili tweeted.
Ms. Ezekwesili said so far, the BringBackOurGirls group, who have held daily sit-ins protest for about a month, have been civil in the demand for the safe rescue of the over 250 schoolgirls abducted from their dormitory in a Government Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State on April 14.
She advised Mr. Mbu to reprimand the sponsors of the pro-government protesting group, Release Our Girls, for attacking the #BringBackOurGirls group.
“What Commissioner Mbu should do is REPRIMAND their sponsored thugs who attacked us, WOMEN at our peaceful gathering. He can. He hired them,” she tweeted.
She asked if Mr. Mbu would ban the protests if his daughter was among the abducted girls.
Ms. Ezekwesili also stated that the Abuja family of the #BringBackOurGirls protest will never abandon the girls.
Shocking ban
The ban as announced by the police boss may come as a shocker to some as Mr. Mbu appeared favourably disposed to the protesters when they attempted to see the President Goodluck Jonathan at the Aso Rock on May 22.
Mr. Mbu, although leading an interception of the women and preventing them from going to Aso Rock, assured them that he supported their demand. He had told the women at the protest that one the kidnapped girls bears the same name with his wife, Hauwa Joseph.
The Chibok girls have now been held captive for 49 days with their parents lamenting what they described as federal government’s nonchalant attitude in the search for the girls; and calling for negotiations with the Boko Haram sect.
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