Officers from the Rivers State Police Command chased and used tear gas on the demonstrators who had assembled in Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt on Monday morning.
As early as 9 am, the demonstrators, who are part of the “Take It Back Movement,” reportedly encountered a significant police presence at the protest site due to the state’s declared state of emergency.
Journalists covering the event were among the demonstrators who were allegedly beaten by the police, according to Channels Television.
When the police warned the young protesters not to conduct the demonstration, they said, “Nobody can tell us where not to gather, we are Rivers people.”
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Nigeria Police Public Relations Officer, has criticized the planning of the protest on April 7.
The Police spokesperson said the protest was unjustified in an interview with Channels TV on Sunday.
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He said that the day was intended to honor Nigerian police officers by the federal government.
He also criticized the protest organizers for selecting a location that would be used by police for their April 1 activities.
He stated: “We are attempting to warn them against demonstrating in public. What justification exists for such an unjustified protest of that nature? The federal government has declared every April 7th to be National Police Day, and we have proclaimed this. All of a sudden, I believe a group called the Take It Back Movement declared their desire to have a nationwide rally.
At the same time, the Nigerian government wishes to honor its own police officers. There is a global celebration of police institutions worldwide. Every country celebrates its own police on a specific day. Additionally, the Nigerian government has shown its gratitude for the men and officers of the Nigerian police force’s perseverance, devotion, and hard work. And I put April 7th on my calendar as a day to honor the police.
