Representatives, Dino Melaye and carrying placards with inscriptions,
"Stop impunity in Nigeria now," and "Anti-corruption network: Nigeria
is not a Banana Republic, Mbu must go" among others, yesterday
marched from the NITEL Junction to the Ministry of Police Affairs
premises in the Federal Secretariat when they encountered the
anti-riot policemen.
The policemen, led by one Matthias Eliagu, prevented the protesters
from accessing the Federal Secretariat, blocking the road with an
Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and firing canisters of tear gas at
the crowd which included women and children. There was a stampede when
hot water was sprayed from the APC, and there are reports of people
slumping.
So why were they protesting? Well, against the alleged 'impunity in
Rivers by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph MbuState'.
Dino Melaye blamed the Federal Government for allowing the alleged
impunity in Rivers, saying that they were denied the right to protest.
He said, "We are going to submit a petition; we are peaceful Nigerians
with women, some pregnant and carrying children, and we expected them
to show civility and responsibility but the police shot sporadically;
media men were chased, one camera was smeared and everybody is crying
from tear gas.
"In a democratic setting, we have the constitutional power to
demonstrate in a protest peacefully. We will not retreat, we will not
surrender, the battle to salvage our country from these cankerworms of
financial scavengers is a battle of 'no retreat, no surrender.'
"We will fight by the last drop of our blood, democracy will continue
to be government of the people for the people and by the people and
not government of the greedy for greedy by the greedy. It is now
obvious more than ever that the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic
Party are behind the instability and impunity going on in Rivers
State."
Source: ynaija2015.com
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