Lorine Emenike
A coalition of Civil Societies in Rivers State under the umbrella of Rivers Civil Society Organization (RIVSCO) has expressed shock over the statement credited to the Rivers State government banning public protests.
RIVSCO in a statement made available to theportcitynews said that as a formal Civil Society Coalition in Rivers State, “we want to respectfully state that the Rivers State government lacks the powers to ban protests in a democracy.
“For us, the statement is unconstitutional and runs fouls with several sections of the constitution that guarantee rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.
Also Read: Editorial: Governor Wike, there is right to protest in a free society
“In several cases, in ANPP versus IGP, the court had declared that no institution has the powers to ban a protest in a constitutional dungeon, it is rather the duty of government to provide security for protesters who wish to express their dissatisfaction on any policy of the government.
“We call on Rivers People to remain calm, while we equally call on the police to speed up their investigation and explain to Rivers people and indeed the word the mystery behind the death of China at the police station and demand that they forward that person his release from detention.
“We will not rest until we get justice for the Ikokwu file”
