Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Nnaghe Itam, has warned miscreants who might want to hide under the planned August 1 nationwide protest against harship, to unleash terror in the state to drop their evil plots, assuring that the State Police Command has the capacity to provide adequate security in the state at all times.
Addressing journalists at the venue of a security conference he organised for unit heads under the State Police Command, CP Itam stated that nobody or group had so far notified the command that they would stage or participate in the planned nationwide protest.
He, however, promised that his command would not stop any person or group of persons from participating in the national protest so long as the exercise would be peaceful.
The state police boss rather stated that he was joining his voice in appealing to those planning to stage the protest to drop the idea because miscreants might want to seize the opportunity to cause serious breakdown of law and order; engage in looting and other forms of criminalities.
But if any group would insist on going ahead to stage the protest, the Police boss stated that the leaders of the group should come forward to the state police command to identify themselves, the areas where they would converge, and other details that would enable the state police command provide them with adequate security during the event.
“I want to state clearly that the Police is mandated to regulate assemblies and protect peaceful protesters who are identified as well as their routes and or locations of interest.
“The command would not tolerate any violence or any protest that threatens the fragile peace in the State.
“All I am saying is that miscreants should not test our might because we are ready to guarantee adequate security to lives and properly everywhere in the state,” CP Itam stated.
Also, when contacted spokesperson of the State Police Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Superintendent of Corps Edwin Okadigbo confirmed that no group had approached the command to alert them that they would participate in the planned protest.
He, however, stated that the command had already put in place operational strategies to make sure that no national asset or infrastructure were attacked or vandalised by hoodlums.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade Humphrey Nwafor, stated that the union and, indeed, its affiliates in the state were not part of the planned nationwide protest, adding that they would not participate in it.
Checks by LEADERSHIP showed that no group of persons or organisation was openly showing interest in the planned nationwide protest in the State.
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