Organizers and supporters of the ‘Take-It-Back’ protest, who were dispersed with tear gas by operatives of the Rivers State Police Command, have vowed to reconvene in their quest for justice, declaring that “freedom has never been free.”
Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat in Port Harcourt after the protest on Monday was forcefully halted, former spokesman of the Civil Society Organizations in Rivers State, Solomon Lenu, emphasized that peaceful protest is a constitutional right of every Nigerian citizen.
Lenu expressed concern over the safety and well-being of protesters following the incident.
He stressed that “no amount of intimidation would prevent them from speaking the truth and demanding justice and equity.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Trust Africa Initiative, Chetam Thierry-Nwala, revealed that organizers had duly informed and sought approval from the police prior to the protest.
Thierry-Nwala expressed disappointment over what he described as a “betrayal of democratic principles” by the security forces.
He alleged that security operatives shot at a protester’s leg and also arrested a journalist who was covering the event.
He condemned the use of force and insisted that no Nigerian is more entitled to fundamental rights than another.
Members of the Take-It-Back Movement, Civil Society Organizations, and the Niger Delta Congress had gathered at Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt on Monday for the protest.
However, their peaceful assembly was disrupted by operatives of the Rivers State Police Command.
Security personnel reportedly asked the protesters to relocate to another venue, but the demonstrators, undeterred, began singing solidarity songs and proceeded with their march from the park towards the Aba Express Road.
This prompted the security forces to fire tear gas and gunshots into the air, causing the protesters to disperse in search of safety.
