Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has called on organisers of the planned August 1-10 protests to submit their details to the commissioners of police in their respective states.
Gatekeepers News reports that this comes after human rights activist Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa requested protection for the ‘Take It Back Movement’.
Egbetokun emphasised the importance of providing details to ensure a peaceful protest, stating, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest.
“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.”
He specified the required information, including “proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers.”
This development follows a statement by the Department of State Services (DSS) claiming to have uncovered plans by some individuals to hijack the protest and use it to discredit the government.
DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya warned that “the plotters desire to use the intended violent outcome to smear the federal and sub-national governments, make them unpopular and pit them against the masses.”
