Police ban protests over Chibok schoolgirls

 Abuja The Commissioner of Police (CP) for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, yesterday banned the #BringBackOurGirls protests. Boko Haram had on April 14 this year kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

The kidnapping by the Islamist sect has led to protests seeking the rescue of the female students locally and internationally. The FCT boss also redeployed all the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs).


Giving reasons for the ban which takes immediate effect, Mr. Mbu, who was transferred from Rivers State over political crisis, said: “As the FCT boss, I cannot fold my arms and watch this lawlessness (protest), Mr. Mbu ordered the DPOs to hand over to the next senior officers in their respective divisions, saying he was not satisfied with their performances.

At a media briefing yesterday in Abuja, while announcing the ban, Mr. Mbu noted that shortly after a group under the aegis of “Bring Back Our Girls’’ protested on April 28, another group, “Release Our Girls”, emerged.

He said: “Information at the disposal of the command indicated that dangerous elements” were about to hijack the protests hence, the ban.

“As the FCT police boss, I cannot fold my arms and watch this lawlessness (protest). “Information reaching us indicates that very soon, dangerous elements would join groups under the guise of protests and detonate explosives aimed at embarrassing the government.”

The commissioner warned that a situation where the Fountain of Unity, venue for the gathering of the protesters, was being turned into a place for “cooking and selling”, was becoming very embarrassing especially  many diplomats live in that part of the city.

Mbu called on residents of the FCT to work with the security agencies in the war against terrorism and criminality by appreciating the sacrifices they had made and would continue to make.

Answering questions on whether or not the ban would not violate the freedom of expression and assembly of Nigerians, Mbu said that one person’s freedom should not affect other person’s freedom.

He said: “People have been protesting over a month now…it is the issue of terrorism, it would not be solved in one day. Then, when you continue to do it persistently, it becomes a nuisance to the government,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the CP announced the revocation of permits issued for tinted glass vehicles in the FCT. “Yes, there is a period when the permit was granted, but the recent security challenges have made the police to revisit the issue and we have resolved to revoke same. The permits issued so far remain revoked, you are hearing this from my mouth, the FCT police boss.

“The only authority to grant tinted glass permit is the Inspector-General of Police himself under his hand and signature,’’ he said.

On the sack of the DPOs, the command’s spokesman, DSP Altine Daniel, told newsmen that the decision was taken after the commissioner met with them yesterday.

“The Commissioner of Police has directed the redeployment of all Divisional Police Officers; they have to hand over to the next senior persons in their various divisions,” he said.