With the insistence of the organizers of the #FearlessOctober1 protest to go ahead with the demonstration despite appeals for calm by the government and other notable stakeholders, the Nigeria Police Force said they have emplaced personnel and machinery at strategic flashpoints across the country.
In Ogun State, Abiodun Alamutu, the Commissioner of Police, said on Sunday that the command would massively deploy its operatives to flashpoints and vulnerable areas across the state on Monday to guide against any breach of peace by the October 1 protesters.
The police chief also said, “By tomorrow (today), we shall embark on the deployment of police operatives to flashpoints and vulnerable areas across the state. This is to send a powerful signal to all criminals and trouble makers that we won’t allow the peace we are enjoying in the state to be compromised under whatever guise.”
He said the command met with the student body, transport union members, and youth organizations among others on Sunday to engage them and dissuade them from participating in any unauthorized protest
In Kaduna, the state police command said it has taken proactive measures to prevent potential violence during the planned protest in the state.
A senior police officer, who spoke in confidence as he was not authorized to speak on the matter, confirmed the deployment of personnel across the state to avert a repeat of the August protest, which turned violent in the state.
He said, “The ban on public processions is still in force, but we are taking proactive measures to ensure public safety. For security reasons, I cannot reveal the exact number of personnel deployed.”
In Jigawa State, the Police said they were ready to provide adequate security for residents of the state.
Towards this end, the command said it would be deploying its men to protect all critical national assets in the state.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam, in an interview, yesterday, said though no group had approached it in respect of the protest, the police would not be leaving anything to chance.
“So far, we do not have any group that has approached us on the planned protest, we have been monitoring the development around the state.
‘’In fact, we will begin to deploy our men to all critical assets around the state. Apart from that, we have initiated dialogue with some critical groups such as the labour unions and they have assured us that they are not planning any protest in the state.”
Similarly, in Niger State, gun-wielding security operatives were stationed in some of the major places, including popular markets and road junctions in Minna, the state capital on Sunday.
The Police Command said it has deployed personnel and security assets to avert any breakdown of law and order during the Independence Day celebration in the state.
Police patrol vehicles had also started moving around the city to ensure that peace was maintained in the state.
The Niger State Police Command spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun said, “The Niger State Police Command shall deploy an adequate number of personnel and operational assets for public safety and orderliness. ”The state Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmamman, directed Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders and DPOs to ensure that police visibility was enhanced in their various areas to avert any act of breach of public peace.
“The Command had also engaged labour leaders, trades unions, youth and students leaders in the state and other critical stakeholders towards ensuring and sustaining the relative peace that is being enjoyed for economic growth and development of the state.”
The Kano State Police Command has also deployed its personnel to strategic positions.
According to the command’s PPRO, Abdullahi Haruna, “We want to ensure peace and order because we always learn from the past.”
Haruna added that the command had also engaged the leadership of the Nigerian Patriotic Front Movement, which had indicated its intention to stage a peaceful protest on Tuesday.
“We reminded them of the dangers associated with such a protest, especially in Kano, given its nature,” he added.
He assured residents of adequate security, saying the command was fully prepared for any eventuality.
Meanwhile, in Lokoja, Kogi State, the Commissioner of Police, Bertrand Onuoha, advised organizers of the protest to reconsider their plan and give the government more time to fix the nation’s economy.
The police chief spoke while engaging with members of the #Take It Back Movement, Kogi State chapter at the command’s headquarters on Saturday.
The PPRO, Kogi Command, William Aya, in a statement on Sunday, said, “The CP advised the group to reconsider their planned protest and give the government more time to fix the economy of our dear nation.”
The CP said he called the meeting in response to the letter he received from the organizers on Friday.
He said, “The group has the right to peaceful protest in accordance with extant Laws, but we want to avoid playing into the hands of disgruntled elements or hoodlums and to avoid or prevent them from hijacking the process and unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens, destruction of their property, as well as damage of critical infrastructure which will, in turn, have a serious adverse impact on the nation’s economy.”
In Cross River, Irene Ugbo, the State command PPRO said the command was prepared to resist any form of aggrieved protest in the state, recounting the huge destruction recorded in the state during the October 2020 EndSARS protest.
She noted “We are ready to resist any protest. Anybody that wants to protest should write to the Commissioner of Police for permission. Of course, we will give them support, but whereby some people just come out unexpectedly to create chaos, we are ready to resist them.”
In Nasarawa, the PPRO, Nasarawa command, Ramhan Nansel, said they have deployed men across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state to ensure peace during the Independence celebrations.
He said, “The command is fully prepared for the October 1 celebration, and whatever may arise before, during, and after the celebration. Manpower, assets, and all our resources have been mobilized to ensure the state is peaceful from now on.”
Similarly, the Borno State Command has said it has deployed personnel to maintain law and order in strategic places across the state.
ASP Nahum Daso, the command’s PPRO said, “We have adequately deployed our men within the state to safeguard lives and property and we are ready to prevent any breakdown of law and order ahead of the Independence Day celebration.”
Also, Nemi Iwo, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State said the command was yet to relax the security measures put in place for the just-concluded governorship election in the state, noting that it would be sustained to ensure a peaceful Independence Day.
He said, “The security measures put in place before and during the just-concluded election are still in place. It will be sustained to ensure a peaceful Edo State.”
In a like manner, Abubakar Sadiq, the PPRO, Katsina State Command, said in Katsina on Saturday that the command has mobilized “both human and intelligence resources” for the safety of all, before, during, and after the protest.
“We have taken proactive measures to ensure public safety and security, and adequate personnel have been deployed to ensure no breakdown of law and order, adequate intelligence gathering, surveillance, and enhanced patrols throughout the state.”
While the Rivers command said it won’t tolerate a breakdown of law and order in the state during the planned protest, it disclosed that operatives of the Delta command have been placed on ‘red alert.’
In Kwara, the state command invited the organizers for first-hand information on the motive of the protest and to ensure miscreants don’t hijack the protest.
The command spokesperson, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, said, “The police commissioner invited the organizers of the protest to the police headquarters for a meeting on the proposed protest. The purpose is to engage them in a discussion to know the route that the protesters would take to give them adequate security and protect hoodlums who might join the protest with the ulterior motive of attacking government property and making it bloody.”
On his part, Bayelsa State Police Commissioner, Francis Idu, had directed all tactical units to be on alert, noting that the command would provide security for the protesters and also forestall a breakdown of law and order during and after the protest.
The state PPRO, Musa Mohammed said, “The CP has directed all tactical units to be on alert to provide security for the protesters during and after the protest to avert any breakdown of law and order.”
However, state police commands in Plateau, Gombe, Bauchi, and Sokoto told newsmen that were yet to be notified by the organizers of a planned protest for Tuesday.
The PPROs of the commands added that they have beefed up security following reports of the impending demonstration.
In Ebonyi, Joshua Ukandu, the command’s PPRO said even though it had not received notification about any planned protest, it was prepared to deploy its men to ensure the state remained peaceful.
