The police in Ebonyi State have justified their decision to disperse hundreds of supporters of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi who gathered for a rally on Saturday.
The police accused the ‘Obidients’ – the nickname of supporters of Mr Obi – of not paying the required fees and attacking police officers.
The police dispersed the political gathering on Saturday, September 17, 2022, in Abakaliki, the state capital.
In a statement sent to journalists, the Ebonyi police spokesperson, Chris Anyanwu, said the police acted based “on the rules of engagement.”
Mr Anyanwu also suggested that the police acted based on the request of the Ebonyi government over the non-payment of approved fees.
Mr Anyanwu, a superintendent of police, said the supporters met with police before the rally but failed to make the payment approved by the state government.
The supporters also failed to pay another refundable sum of money as collateral in case of any damage to government property during the rally, he said.
Nigerian law does not require a police permit or payment before peaceful rallies or protests are held. The police only need to be informed so they can provide the necessary security.
However, some state governments have started putting campaign rules in place ahead of the campaigns for the 2023 elections which start later this month. Some of the rules include payment of money.
In his statement, Mr Anyanwu also claimed that the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the state, Edward Nnwegu, pleaded with the supporters to shelve the rally to avoid “the looming catastrophe”, but they insisted, and maintained that nobody would stop them.
The police spokesperson said operatives were deployed to the take-off venue of the rally, Pastoral Center, to maintain peace and order.
He said the decision followed information that the rally could become “turbulent and create a state of insecurity” in the state if left unchecked.
“Unfortunately, while the policemen were properly deployed to ensure that there was no breakdown of the law, the radicals and mischief-makers among the rallyists became violent and started hauling missiles on the police operatives, uttering all manners of unprintable statements on the police and the government. Many of them even went physically to assault and attack the policemen,” he said.
“So, in response, and guided by the presidential pronouncements at the era of the unpopular End-SARS protests, the police personnel on duty rose to the occasion to dislodge the violent and criminally-oriented attackers.
“After taking control of the situation, the rally continued and ended peacefully,” Mr Anyanwu stated.
Earlier, one of the ‘Obidients’ at the rally, Steve Ugama, told Premium Times that the police fired tear gas to disperse the ‘peaceful rally’.
He also said four of his colleagues were arrested by the police.
“We have gathered here this morning for our peaceful march. All of a sudden, the police came and started tear-gassing us and arresting our people.
“They said we can’t hold the march because Governor David Umahi asked them to stop us, that we can’t hold it. About four of our colleagues have been arrested. We need help here,” Mr Ugama said minutes after the rally was dispersed.
The rally was later held successfully, despite the actions of the police.
