and its environs were yesterday under
police siege, with surveillance helicopters,
Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and
patrol vehicles deployed to prevent the
"Defending democracy rally" organised by
a coalition of activists.
There was heavy deployment of
policemen in Port Harcourt International
Airport, Omagwa – apparently to prevent
pro-democracy and human rights activists
invited from other parts of the country to
get to the rally venue.
Niger Delta Civil Society Coalition
(NDCSC) Chairman Anyakwee Nsirimovu
and other members of the coalition who
planned the rally, however, outsmarted
the police by changing the venue.
Nsirimovu, who described yesterday as a
bad day for democracy, said that in the
coalition's letter to Police Commissioner
Mbu Joseph Mbu to provide minimal
security, Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt
was indicated as the rally venue, but they
converged on Liberation Stadium.
The Police said they stopped the rally to
prevent a breakdown of law and order.
As early as 6 am, battle-ready, riot and
regular policemen, backed by APCs,
sealed off the Isaac Boro Park while the
coalition's members were already
gathering at the Liberation Stadium for
the rally that would have taken off at 9
am.
The policemen, having waited till 9 am
without seeing any activist, rushed to the
Liberation Stadium with two APCs and
many patrol vehicles when they got the
hint of the venue change.
The main gate of the stadium was
immediately sealed off by the policemen
with the two APCs and many vans.
Passers-by were made to frog-jump,
having been mistaken for members of the
coalition.
The invited activists and members of the
coalition from the nine states of the Niger
Delta, who had gathered at the stadium,
were dispersed. Nsirimovu and other
leaders were asked to leave immediately.
But the coalition members and activists
regrouped at a nearby private
multipurpose hall on Stadium Road where
they addressed reporters.
The policemen in APCs and vans
continued to patrol the streets of Port
Harcourt and its environs.
Rivers police spokesperson Angela Agabe
said dispersing the activists was to
prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Speaking at the multipurpose hall, the
chairman of the NDCSC said: "Impunity
and abuse of the rule of law will not be
allowed in Rivers State. Police are not
neutral in Rivers crisis. Commissioner of
Police Mbu Joseph Mbu must be
immediately redeployed – in line with the
resolution of the National Assembly.
"We planned a peaceful rally, but Mbu's
policemen took over the Liberation
Stadium, Port Harcourt – in a show of
force, intimidating law-abiding citizens,
who fought for the enthronement of
democracy in Nigeria. It is a bad day for
democracy in Rivers State.
"Freedom of expression, freedom of
association and freedom of assembly are
guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but
jettisoned by Mbu's policemen. The need
for peace, security and participatory
democracy in Rivers State cannot be
overemphasised.
"Police permit is not needed before
protesting or having a rally in a
democracy. Mbu allowed Niger Delta
militants to recently protest on the
streets of Port Harcourt. Why did he ask
his men to intimidate the members of
the civil society coalition and law-abiding
citizens?"
Nsirimovu also described as "really
unfortunate" a situation where people
who denounced violence were
intimidated by the police not to
participate in a rally designed to be
peaceful.
The Executive Chairman of the Coalition
Against Corrupt Leaders, Debo Adeniran,
who came in from Lagos, said he and
other activists were supporting true
democracy and human rights.
Adeniran said allowing impunity would not
be in the best interest of democracy,
stressing that it could spread to other
parts of Nigeria and that people's will
must be respected at all times.
An activist from Jos, Plateau State, Nankin
Bagudu of the League of Human Rights,
said Nigerians were worried about the
ugly development in Rivers State,
especially with five of the 32 members
attempting to impeach Speaker
Otelemaba Dan Amachree.
Bagudu added that politics must be on
principle and not personal interests. He
advised stakeholders to always give peace
a chance.
The General Secretary of the Alliance for
Credible Elections, Emma Ezeazu, said the
rule of law must reign.
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