The Abia police command has advised individuals and groups intending to stage a protest in the state to seek police permit ahead of the exercise.
The command’s spokesman, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, issued the advice in a statement he made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Monday.
Ogbonna said that any person or group of persons intending to embark on a protest “must notify the commissioner in writing at least 48 hours to the time.”
He said that the notification must give detailed information about the protest.
“This will enable the police to provide adequate security to protect the protesters and prevent miscreants and hoodlums from hijacking the process to unleash mayhem on perceived opposition or loot property,” he said.
Ogbonna said that the command was not averse to public protests but insisted that such actions must comply with the relevant constitutional provisions.
“It is a constitutional right of the citizens in a democratic government but it should be carried out in line with the extant provisions of the Constitution,” he said.
He said that the advice became necessary, following intelligence report about plans by individuals and groups to stage protests in different parts of the state.
The police chief said that the command would not fold its arms and watch any person or group to truncate the prevailing peace and tranquillity in the state.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some women recently took to the streets of Aba to protest against infrastructure deficit in the city.
The angry women issued a 100 days ultimatum to the Abia government within which to address the problem.
They threatened to mobilise 10,000 women to shut down activities at the Government House, if nothing happened at the expiration of the ultimatum. (NAN)
