#BringBackOurGirls: Outrage, as Mbu bans rallies in Abuja
By Emmanuel Aziken, Kingsley Omonobi, Dapo Akinrefon & Emmanuel Elebeke
ABUJA— Outrage, yesterday, trailed the decision by the Commissioner of Police of the Federal Capital Territory, Joseph Mbu, to ban all protests over the kidnap of more than 200 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
The ban announced by Mr. Mbu, yesterday, was declared as illegal, unconstitutional and a deliberate attempt by the government to protect its image at the expense of the lives of the captured girls.
Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, who has led daily demonstrations in Abuja that have drawn worldwide publicity under the aegis of the #Bring Back Our Girls, in condemning the ban, told Vanguard yesterday, that Mr. Mbu was deficient in the primary rudiments of democracy. Mrs. Maryam Uwais, wife of former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais, who is a member of the group, said the movement would contest the issue in court as she disclosed that they were still deliberating on the next line of action.
Civil rights lawyers, Bamidele Aturu, Festus Keyamo and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, president of Women Arise also flayed the police ban. Keyamo said it was like mercilessly beating a child and choking the same child so that it would not cry.
Why we banned rallies— Mbu
Mr. Mbu in a statement issued yesterday said:
“You will recall that the first peaceful protest on the “#BRING BACK OUR GIRLS” (Chibok) took place on April 28, 2014 which I took part in the procession until when the Senate President and Speaker addressed them.
“The protest continued and on May 22, 2014 they were again addressed by more than 10 ministers, SGF and others.
“They are still unrelenting; the group has now shifted to Maitama Amusement Park. This area is very close to the residence of diplomats.
“Again a new group, RELEASE OUR GIRLS suddenly emerged and started the same protest. It has degenerated to the extent that they are now selling and cooking at the Unity Fountain.
“The trend is now posing a serious security threat to those living around and citizens who drive through.
“We are all aware of what happened, yesterday, (Sunday) in Mubi, Adamawa State.
“As the FCT Police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness.
“Information reaching us is that too soon, dangerous elements will join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosives aimed at embarrassing the government.
“Accordingly, protests on the Chibok Girls are hereby banned with immediate effect.
“I urge all to encourage our security agencies in this war and appreciate them for the sacrifices we have made and are still making.”
Mrs. Ezekwesili alongside Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, wife of former Chief Economic Adviser in the Umaru Yar‘Adua government, Tanimu Yakubu, have led a daily protest gathering in Abuja to focus on the abduction of the girls. The group penultimate Thursday led a demonstration to the Presidential Villa where President Goodluck Jonathan in a written address read on his behalf told the group to address their demonstration to the Boko Haram Islamic sect which kidnapped the girls.
Ezekwesili, others slam order
Condemning the police ban on the demonstrations yesterday, Ezekwesili told Vanguard: “Someone should quickly offer Commissioner Mbu a free course in Democracy 101. He seriously needs to know how powerless the constitution has made people like him on matters of Rights of Citizens to peaceful assembly.”
We’ll head to court today —Usman
Ms Hadiza Bala Usman on her part told Vanguard: “We shall challenge him in court on the right he has to deny us our constitutional right on freedom of expression. We shall file the suit tomorrow morning (today) at the FCT High Court.”
In his reaction, Aturu called on the federal administration to call the Police Commissioner to order.
“Our answer is a very simple one. Our constitutional right of coming together to protest on any issue whatsoever cannot be taken away by anybody. I will advise the President and the Police authorities to call Mr. Mbu to order because he has no right to do what he has done. It will make us a laughing stock in the comity of nations.”
Also condemning the order, Dr Okei-Odumakin said: “It is condemnable, people have their rights as enshrined in the constitution to freedom of assembly and freedom of association, as far as they do not break the law. Such freedom should not be abridged.”
It’s shocking — Keyamo
Keyamo in his reaction articulated in a statement made available to Vanguard said Mr. Mbu’s order was a violation of the constitution and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
“It is shocking that the Federal Government, hiding under the facade of the Police, has finally openly displayed its disdain for public outcry over the kidnap of those innocent souls. The Federal Government would really have wished that we all went about our normal businesses and live in denial like it did for many weeks.
“The Government has shown that it is more concerned with its image and self-preservation than the safety of those girls. This is the height of irresponsibility and insensitivity to the plight of the Chibok girls and their family members. At a time when government has not shown a capacity to protect lives and property, it is even denying the citizens the basic right to cry out about Government’s inaction.
“It is like beating a child mercilessly and choking the child at the same time to prevent the child from crying out. It is inhuman, it is degrading and it is humiliating.
“That order by the Commissioner of Police should be rescinded immediately or else the Federal Government should be prepared to arrest and lock up all Nigerians. Even the military did not succeed in muzzling Nigerians like the Federal Government wants to do by this feeble order.”
Earlier yesterday, the #Bring Back Our Girls’ group said it won’t be provoked by those who have attacked it in various ways and urged protesters across the country to maintain a high level of civility.
The declaration followed a mild drama in Abuja when members of the group were locked out of the Maitama Amusement Park by people suspected to be security agents.
The group had earlier been driven from the Unity Fountain by an opposing group last week which prompted the Ezekwesili-led group to relocate to a privately-managed Amusement Park.
Despite the lockout, the group, which had come out every weekday for the past 33 days vowed that it would not be deterred in its campaign to highlight the fate of the girls.
“We have been coming out for the past 33 days, insisting that our girls, who were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary school Chibok be released by their abductors,” one of the leaders, Aishah Yesufu said yesterday.
“We will not change our position. We will not rest until our girls who are in their impressionable ages of between16 and 18, are released. Their abductors may try to change their world view. We insist everything must be done to bring back our girls”.
I’ll mobilise senators to back demonstrators —Senator Ojudu
Senator Babafemi Ojudu threatened to mobilise senators to champion the cause of the #Bring Back Our Girls group if the ban was not immediately reversed. He said Mbu’s statement appeared like a hangover of the controversies that trailed his stewardship as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State.
Senator Ojudu said that it was shocking that at a time Nigerians were united in the call for the release of the girls, Mbu would lead the Nigeria Police to take draconian actions that were against the principles of democracy. He thus called on the Inspector General of Police to reverse the ban.
ABUJA— Outrage, yesterday, trailed the decision by the Commissioner of Police of the Federal Capital Territory, Joseph Mbu, to ban all protests over the kidnap of more than 200 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
The ban announced by Mr. Mbu, yesterday, was declared as illegal, unconstitutional and a deliberate attempt by the government to protect its image at the expense of the lives of the captured girls.
Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, who has led daily demonstrations in Abuja that have drawn worldwide publicity under the aegis of the #Bring Back Our Girls, in condemning the ban, told Vanguard yesterday, that Mr. Mbu was deficient in the primary rudiments of democracy. Mrs. Maryam Uwais, wife of former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais, who is a member of the group, said the movement would contest the issue in court as she disclosed that they were still deliberating on the next line of action.
Civil rights lawyers, Bamidele Aturu, Festus Keyamo and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, president of Women Arise also flayed the police ban. Keyamo said it was like mercilessly beating a child and choking the same child so that it would not cry.
CHIBOK
GIRLS—Schoolgirls who have escaped from Boko Haram kidnappers in the
village of Chibok, arrive at the Government House to speak with Governor
Kashim Shettima in Maiduguri, yesterday. Shettima met with 28
schoolgirls that escaped from the abductors, their parents and parents
of more than 200 missing girls to seek ways of assisting them. Photo:
AFP.
Mr. Mbu in a statement issued yesterday said:
“You will recall that the first peaceful protest on the “#BRING BACK OUR GIRLS” (Chibok) took place on April 28, 2014 which I took part in the procession until when the Senate President and Speaker addressed them.
“The protest continued and on May 22, 2014 they were again addressed by more than 10 ministers, SGF and others.
“They are still unrelenting; the group has now shifted to Maitama Amusement Park. This area is very close to the residence of diplomats.
“Again a new group, RELEASE OUR GIRLS suddenly emerged and started the same protest. It has degenerated to the extent that they are now selling and cooking at the Unity Fountain.
“The trend is now posing a serious security threat to those living around and citizens who drive through.
“We are all aware of what happened, yesterday, (Sunday) in Mubi, Adamawa State.
“As the FCT Police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness.
“Information reaching us is that too soon, dangerous elements will join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosives aimed at embarrassing the government.
“Accordingly, protests on the Chibok Girls are hereby banned with immediate effect.
“I urge all to encourage our security agencies in this war and appreciate them for the sacrifices we have made and are still making.”
Mrs. Ezekwesili alongside Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, wife of former Chief Economic Adviser in the Umaru Yar‘Adua government, Tanimu Yakubu, have led a daily protest gathering in Abuja to focus on the abduction of the girls. The group penultimate Thursday led a demonstration to the Presidential Villa where President Goodluck Jonathan in a written address read on his behalf told the group to address their demonstration to the Boko Haram Islamic sect which kidnapped the girls.
Ezekwesili, others slam order
Condemning the police ban on the demonstrations yesterday, Ezekwesili told Vanguard: “Someone should quickly offer Commissioner Mbu a free course in Democracy 101. He seriously needs to know how powerless the constitution has made people like him on matters of Rights of Citizens to peaceful assembly.”
We’ll head to court today —Usman
Ms Hadiza Bala Usman on her part told Vanguard: “We shall challenge him in court on the right he has to deny us our constitutional right on freedom of expression. We shall file the suit tomorrow morning (today) at the FCT High Court.”
In his reaction, Aturu called on the federal administration to call the Police Commissioner to order.
“Our answer is a very simple one. Our constitutional right of coming together to protest on any issue whatsoever cannot be taken away by anybody. I will advise the President and the Police authorities to call Mr. Mbu to order because he has no right to do what he has done. It will make us a laughing stock in the comity of nations.”
Also condemning the order, Dr Okei-Odumakin said: “It is condemnable, people have their rights as enshrined in the constitution to freedom of assembly and freedom of association, as far as they do not break the law. Such freedom should not be abridged.”
It’s shocking — Keyamo
Keyamo in his reaction articulated in a statement made available to Vanguard said Mr. Mbu’s order was a violation of the constitution and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
“It is shocking that the Federal Government, hiding under the facade of the Police, has finally openly displayed its disdain for public outcry over the kidnap of those innocent souls. The Federal Government would really have wished that we all went about our normal businesses and live in denial like it did for many weeks.
“The Government has shown that it is more concerned with its image and self-preservation than the safety of those girls. This is the height of irresponsibility and insensitivity to the plight of the Chibok girls and their family members. At a time when government has not shown a capacity to protect lives and property, it is even denying the citizens the basic right to cry out about Government’s inaction.
“It is like beating a child mercilessly and choking the child at the same time to prevent the child from crying out. It is inhuman, it is degrading and it is humiliating.
“That order by the Commissioner of Police should be rescinded immediately or else the Federal Government should be prepared to arrest and lock up all Nigerians. Even the military did not succeed in muzzling Nigerians like the Federal Government wants to do by this feeble order.”
Earlier yesterday, the #Bring Back Our Girls’ group said it won’t be provoked by those who have attacked it in various ways and urged protesters across the country to maintain a high level of civility.
The declaration followed a mild drama in Abuja when members of the group were locked out of the Maitama Amusement Park by people suspected to be security agents.
The group had earlier been driven from the Unity Fountain by an opposing group last week which prompted the Ezekwesili-led group to relocate to a privately-managed Amusement Park.
Despite the lockout, the group, which had come out every weekday for the past 33 days vowed that it would not be deterred in its campaign to highlight the fate of the girls.
“We have been coming out for the past 33 days, insisting that our girls, who were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary school Chibok be released by their abductors,” one of the leaders, Aishah Yesufu said yesterday.
“We will not change our position. We will not rest until our girls who are in their impressionable ages of between16 and 18, are released. Their abductors may try to change their world view. We insist everything must be done to bring back our girls”.
I’ll mobilise senators to back demonstrators —Senator Ojudu
Senator Babafemi Ojudu threatened to mobilise senators to champion the cause of the #Bring Back Our Girls group if the ban was not immediately reversed. He said Mbu’s statement appeared like a hangover of the controversies that trailed his stewardship as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State.
Senator Ojudu said that it was shocking that at a time Nigerians were united in the call for the release of the girls, Mbu would lead the Nigeria Police to take draconian actions that were against the principles of democracy. He thus called on the Inspector General of Police to reverse the ban.
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