Police Bans #BringBackOurGirls Protest in Abuja
Category: Boko Haram News
Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mbu
Joseph Mbu has announced a ban on protests within Nigeria’s capital city
advocating the release of the girls kidnapped in April by members of
the Boko Haram sect.
A press statement issued by the controversial police officer, which announced the ban, said it was necessitated by series of protests, rallies and demonstrations and counter demonstrations organized by groups and individuals over the abduction.
A press statement issued by the controversial police officer, which announced the ban, said it was necessitated by series of protests, rallies and demonstrations and counter demonstrations organized by groups and individuals over the abduction.
Read more after the cut:
The ban on the rallies followed series of attempt by the Nigerian government to create a fake group of protesters that shifted the blame of the missing girls from the government to the kidnappers, Boko Haram.
“Please note that the Police has not banned all protests and rallies in Abuja. No”, he said. “What was banned is the #BringBackOurGirls protest; and it was banned in order to forestall breakdown of law and order in Abuja”.
The ban immediately attracted heavy public criticism, with former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, who is one of the leading faces in the campaign, accusing Mbu of a lack of sympathy for the abducted girls because his daughter was not involved.
“If Mbu's daughter was one of 200 daughters of Nigeria held captive by terrorists and we came out to stand for their cause, would he do this”? Ezekwesili queried on her Twitter page.
“What Commissioner Mbu should do is reprimand their sponsored thugs who attacked us, women, at our peaceful gathering.
“He can. He hired them. When their thugs attacked us while Mbu's policemen stood aloof, we refused to engage with their gutter conduct. We figured this was their plot. Predictably, Mbu has proven by his latest ill-advised statement of repression of citizens rights that he and his bosses hired those thugs”.
She argued that there was no basis for and no power of the CP to ban peaceful assembly of any group of persons in the city, as the #BringBackOurGirls protesters had always maintained civility in the face of harassment by both the Nigerian Police and hired thugs.
“The FG would do well to send its officials who wish to roll back our Democracy by infringing on Citizens Rights to my #Democracy101 Class”, she said.
“Our Abuja family of #BringBackOurGirls diverse women, men and young people standing with our #ChibokGirls shall never abandon them. Never!
“No matter how direly they want to take our focus off our #ChibokGirls, we shall not permit them that luxury”.
The #BringBackOurGirls sit-in at the Unity Fountain is in its 50th day.
The ban on the rallies followed series of attempt by the Nigerian government to create a fake group of protesters that shifted the blame of the missing girls from the government to the kidnappers, Boko Haram.
“Please note that the Police has not banned all protests and rallies in Abuja. No”, he said. “What was banned is the #BringBackOurGirls protest; and it was banned in order to forestall breakdown of law and order in Abuja”.
The ban immediately attracted heavy public criticism, with former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, who is one of the leading faces in the campaign, accusing Mbu of a lack of sympathy for the abducted girls because his daughter was not involved.
“If Mbu's daughter was one of 200 daughters of Nigeria held captive by terrorists and we came out to stand for their cause, would he do this”? Ezekwesili queried on her Twitter page.
“What Commissioner Mbu should do is reprimand their sponsored thugs who attacked us, women, at our peaceful gathering.
“He can. He hired them. When their thugs attacked us while Mbu's policemen stood aloof, we refused to engage with their gutter conduct. We figured this was their plot. Predictably, Mbu has proven by his latest ill-advised statement of repression of citizens rights that he and his bosses hired those thugs”.
She argued that there was no basis for and no power of the CP to ban peaceful assembly of any group of persons in the city, as the #BringBackOurGirls protesters had always maintained civility in the face of harassment by both the Nigerian Police and hired thugs.
“The FG would do well to send its officials who wish to roll back our Democracy by infringing on Citizens Rights to my #Democracy101 Class”, she said.
“Our Abuja family of #BringBackOurGirls diverse women, men and young people standing with our #ChibokGirls shall never abandon them. Never!
“No matter how direly they want to take our focus off our #ChibokGirls, we shall not permit them that luxury”.
The #BringBackOurGirls sit-in at the Unity Fountain is in its 50th day.
Related Posts:
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- Key suspect arrested in connection with Adamawa bombing
- How Cameroonian Soldiers Killed 40 Boko Haram Militants
- New Video of Abducted Chibok Schoolgirls has been Released
- President Jonathan Offers Amnesty To Boko Haram Members
- US angry with Defence Chief for saying he knows the location of abducted Chibok Girls
- 31 security operatives killed in Buni Yadi, Yobe state
- Villagers Caught Soldiers In Boko Haram Operation
- My services are still available – Boko Haram negotiator
- #BringBackOurGirls: Cameroon Sends 1000 Troops To Fight Boko Haram
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