Rivers State Government Bans All Public Protests Till Further Notice

Rivers State Government Bans All Public Protests Till Further Notice

The
Rivers State Government has banned all public protests in the state
“with immediate effect” saying the decision was in the interest of
public peace.

Announcing the decision on Thursday, Emma Okah, Rivers State
Commissioner for Information and Communications, said security agencies
have been directed to enforce the order.

The directive was issued same day women in Rivers State trooped out
in protest to demand the redeployment of the Resident Electoral
Commissioner (REC) posted to the state. The women had threatened to
march naked if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
refused to redeploy the REC.

INEC had promised to look into the matter. Meanwhile, hours after the
protest, the Rivers State government issued a short statement that
read: “Rivers State Government bans all public protests in the state
with immediate effect till further notice. Security agencies are
directed to enforce the order in the interest of public peace and
order.”