7th August, 2024
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Police Command has read the riot act to violent protesters and ordered that they confine themselves to two designated areas.
This, the command said, was to contain the activities of hoodlums who had hijacked the protests in Port Harcourt.
The designated areas are Abali Park in Mile One, Diobu and Pleasure Park in Port Harcourt.
“Any disturbance of the peace will be firmly resisted, and individuals found taking the law into their own hands will be arrested and prosecuted,” a press statement on Wednesday said.
The Command regretted that ongoing protests in the state have been hijacked by hoodlums, resulting in criminal activities and the original organizers have lost control of the crowd.
The press statement signed by SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the Spokesperson of the Command said “The so-called protesters have resorted to harassing other residents going about their lawful business activities. They have disrupted traffic flow, forced passersby to attach leaflets to their vehicles, erected canopies on main roads, destroyed billboards, threatened traders to cease operations, and set tyres ablaze on the roads – actions that are uncharacteristic of a peaceful protest”.
The Police also warned that the situation has been taken over by hoodlums and called on parents and guardians to rein in their children and wards.
“Protesters are strongly advised to restrict themselves to the designated protest areas. The Rivers State Police Command will not tolerate any breach of peace or unlawful activities and will take decisive action to restore order and protect the safety of all residents,” the statement said.
In the early hours of Tuesday, hoodlums in the guise of #Endbadgovernance protesters blocked the Obiri-Ikwerre flyovers Axis, the ever-busy East-West road and destroyed the billboards of the All Progressives Congress, APC, along Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway.
They burnt tyres and extorted innocent motorists while coercing people to join the protest.
