Yemi Obafemi
To ensure peaceful protest, The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has urged all protesters to cooperate with the police and obey the law during the protest.
While addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, Egbetokun directed all groups planning to join the nationwide protest to register their details with the Commissioners of Police in their states.
The IG said: “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest.
“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.
“To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: state the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers.
“We encourage all protesters to cooperate with the police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to guarantee a safe and successful exercise of their rights.”
According to him, with the information the police will be better equipped and allocate sufficient personnel to ensure peaceful protest.
He also required organizer to includes strategies to prevent criminals elements from hijacking the protest , as well as key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.
Egbetokun further emphasized the need for the police to know the particular routes and areas for the protest to prevent clashes with other activities.
