Police Ban Protest, Rallies At Unity Fountain
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command of the Nigeria police has prohibited the use of the Unity Fountain in Abuja for protests and rallies.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Sadiq Bello, made the announcement on Friday in Abuja.
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The Unity Fountain has been a meeting point for civil rights groups in the FCT, especially the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement.
Members of the BBOG had gathered at the fountain on Friday to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls but the police disrupted the action.
The Force had also arrested Deji Adeyanju, an activist, before later releasing him, following the intervention of Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy
Reacting to the incident, Oby Ezekwesili, BBOG leader, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to call Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police to order.
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While describing the move by the police as “unforgivable”, she also asked the Force to return their seats.
We have heavy @PoliceNG presence at Unity Fountain our usual meeting grounds in Abuja.
They claim that no one would be allowed to come in for any gathering.
And also they have taken (stolen?) our chairs from our usual meeting locations to an unknown place.#BringBackOurGirls— #BringBackOurGirls (@BBOG_Nigeria) April 13, 2018
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Can the .@AsoRock @NGRPresident @MBuhari please ASK the IG @PoliceNG to please vacate the location of our DAILY SIT OUT for OUR #ChibokGirls?
ASK the officers of @PoliceNG to immediately RETURN our SEATS that they have carted away.
Pls RETWEET. pic.twitter.com/X3PjohKY5S
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) April 13, 2018
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It is UNFORGIVABLE that OUR Movement keeps being HARASSED for advocating for abducted girls who are our fellow citizens even just a few hours to heartbreaking FOUR YEARS of their CAPTIVITY.
The DUTY @MBuhari as C-in-C owes OUR #Chibokgirls is JUSTICE OF RESCUE.#StopThisNow!!!— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) April 13, 2018
It is UNFORGIVABLE that OUR Movement keeps being HARASSED for advocating for abducted girls who are our fellow citizens even just a few hours to heartbreaking FOUR YEARS of their CAPTIVITY.
The DUTY @MBuhari as C-in-C owes OUR #Chibokgirls is JUSTICE OF RESCUE.#StopThisNow!!!— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) April 13, 2018
NO, .@NGRPresident
NO, .@MBuhari
NO, @AsoRockNO, @PoliceNG
YOU have NO RIGHT under our Democracy to infringe on Citizens’ Constitutional Freedoms of Expression, Association & Peaceful Assembly.
Return our SEATS.
Send your officers to find the Killer Herdsmen. #StopItNOW!— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) April 13, 2018
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The .@PoliceNG had arrested one of the citizens from another group that has modeled our Daily Sit -Outs at the Unity Fountain.@adeyanjudeji where are you at this time?
What were you arrested for doing, please?
.@MBuhari it’s TIME for OUR SIT-OUT. WE NEED OUR SEATS & SPACE.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) April 13, 2018
