Police Ban #BringBackOurGirls From Protesting In Abuja

The #BringBackOurGirls group on Wednesday said it would defy the ban on public protests by the Nigeria Police Force and carry on with its rally.

The group insists that the police have no power under the law to ban rallies.

#BringBackOurGirls has since 2014 been campaigning for the release of over 200 schoolgirls abducted by the extremist group, Boko Haram, from Government Secondary School, Chibok, in April that year.

The new round of protest march by the group began August 23 after Boko Haram released a video indicating the girls were alive.
After the release of the video, the group said it would march to the presidential villa every 72 hours, until the government makes clear the steps it was taking to recover the girls from the terrorists.

On Monday, the police announced the ban on public rallies and tried to stop the group from marching to the presidential villa on Tuesday.

But the group forced its way through police cordon and headed for the Three Arm Zone, its members were blocked by a group of pro-Buhari protesters angry with the #BBOG campaign.

In a fresh statement by the FCT police spokesperson Anjuguri Manzah, said the command has observed with concern the disregard for the rule of law by some individuals or group of persons with the FCT.

Manzah said: “These indiscriminate actions which are carried out in disorderly and sometimes riotous manner create unwarranted tension and apprehension among law abiding citizens and in the process obstruct legitimate business activities.”

He also said the command is making it clear that it will continue to be professional in discharging its constitutionally assigned roles in accordance with international best practices especially as it relates to the fundamental rights of citizens.

“However, the command will not fold its arms and watch some individuals or group of persons tamper with the existing peaceful atmosphere in the Federal Capital Territory. “The Command hereby advises any person or group of persons who wish to embark on any demonstration to notify the Commissioner of Police FCT in writing and secure approval,” Manzah added.

A similar order was given by Mbu, now retired, in June 2014 during a continuous and heated protest carried out by the Bring Back Our Girls group. Mbu’s ban followed a N200 million suit against him and the inspector general of police.

The suit was however later dropped by the group after the ban was lifted and the group advised to always seek police permit before embarking on any protest.