Ahead of the planned nationwide protest slated to start August 1, police authorities are requesting the details of the demonstrators.
While briefing journalists in Abuja on Friday, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, specifically asked all groups planning to participate in the demonstrations to submit their details to the commissioners of police in their respective states.
He said the reason was to ensure that the protest was peaceful.
“We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest,” the police boss said.
“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.
“To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organizers.”
The IG added that the information expected from the organizers also includes measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, as well as key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.
Worried by the possibility of the protest being hijacked by criminal elements, the IGP explained that the police needed necessary information to also identify potential troublemakers.
He reiterated the police’s determination to deploy adequate personnel and resources to ensure public safety, saying the Force needs to know the specific routes and areas for the protest to avoid conflicts with other events or activities.
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The IGP also released other guidelines to the protesters, among which were for them to “establish clear communication channels with protest leaders to address any concerns or issues that may arise; minimize the risk of violence, property damage, or other criminal activity.
“We encourage all protesters to cooperate with the police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to guarantee a safe and successful exercise of their rights.”
Security agencies have warned against planned demonstrations, asking Nigerians to shelve actions capable of undermining national security.
The Department of State Services in a statement on Thursday, noted it had identified the sponsors.
Though the agency agreed on the citizens’ right to protest, it claimed that some elements planned to hijack it.
“The plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments; make them unpopular and pit them against the masses,” it said in a statement by its spokesman Peter Afunanya. “The long-term objective is to achieve a regime change, especially at the Centre.”
Calls for the demonstration tagged #EndBadGovernance protest had garnered momentum on social media in the wake of the high cost of living in Nigeria triggered by the twin policies of fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira.
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