THE Rivers State Police Command said on Tuesday that it had uncovered plots by two opposing groups to demonstrate over the nomination of the immediate past governor of the state as a minister.
The State Police Command explained that while one of the groups would be protesting against the emergence of Amaechi as a ministerial nominee, the other would embark on a rally in support of the former governor’s expected emergence as a minister.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Musa Kimo, in a statement signed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, warned the opposing groups to jettison the planned protest in order not to truncate the existing peace in the state.
Kimo cautioned that the command would not tolerate a situation where the protest would lead to the breakdown of law and order in the state.
“The Rivers State Police Commissioner has uncovered clandestine moves by two opposing groups to stage a protest in Port Harcourt purposely to express their support or opposition to the ministerial nomination of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi by Muhammadu Buhari, President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Accordingly, the Commissioner of Police hereby warns these groups to jettison the plan to stage the protest so as not to truncate the existing peace in the state.
“While the Command respects the individual’s right of peaceful assembly, it will not tolerate a situation where such protests will lead to breach of the public peace and breakdown of law and order,” the statement read.
He, however, urged the people of the state to remain calm, confident and trust in the ability of the command to discharge its responsibility of ensuring public peace and security.
According to the statement, “The Commissioner of Police enjoins the good people of Rivers State to remain calm, hopeful, confident and trusting in the ability of the Command to discharge its constitutional mandate of ensuring public peace and security; as well as upholding democratic rights and rule of law.
