The Inspector General of the Nigeria Police, Ibrahim Idris has acknowledged that public protests and processions are integral parts of democratic norms but that they must conform with the rule of law and public order.
The Inspector General, who was reacting to barrage of condemnation of the police stoppage of the Bring Back Our Girls group from protesting to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that his men and officers would never stop any protest or procession so long it is within the arm bit of the law, insisting that protesters must notify the police ahead of their demonstration.
He said that what he tried to do was to prevent the procession from being hijacked by miscreants.
A statement from Force Headquarters, signed by DCP Don Awunah, quoted the police boss as saying: “Categorically, at no time did Nigeria Police Force place a ban on peaceful public protest/procession anywhere in Nigeria, particularly the Federal Capital Territory”.
The statement continued: “Peaceful public protest/procession is an integral part of democratic norms in as much as it conforms with the rule of law and public order.
“The Nigeria Police Force recognises the constitutional rights of every law abiding citizen to express his or her view through public protest/procession and other legitimate means.
“In order to ensure that public protest/procession is not hijacked by hoodlums and miscreants to unleash mayhem and disturbance of public peace, persons or group of persons undertaking public protest/procession should endeavour to notify the police to enable the police protect and process the public procession through designated routes and destinations.
“However, the police will not condone any protest/procession on the public highways and roads inhibiting or disallowing public freedom and right of way.
“The Inspector General of Police is committed to the principles of democratic policing and adherence to international best practices in public order management.
“To this end, State Commissioners of Police and Police Commanders are directed to emplace strategies to protect and facilitate lawful public protest/processions as well as protect other members of the public who are not engaged in any form of public protest/procession.”
Recall that members of the ‘BringBackOurGirls’ coalition in Abuja were stopped from gaining entrance into the premises of the Presidential Villa, Abuja when they launched protest over the inability of the authority to retrieve over 200 female students of the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno state, Abducted by members of Boko Haram in May 2014. [myad]
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