Police Block Pro- Jonathan Protests In Port Harcourt

PORT HARCOURT, January 17, (THEWILL) – A Tuesday rally in support of President Goodluck Jonathan and the federal government’s deregulation policy was blocked in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by security operatives.
 
The rally led by top activists in the Niger Delta had started at the Isaac Boro Park in the oil city when government agents stormed the venue to disperse the crowd that had gathered.
 
The convener of the rally and President of Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), Comrade Miabiye Kuromiama, told journalists that the aim of the rally “Is to Occupy our resources peacefully”, adding that the purpose of the rally was to ensure that the federal government acts according to the provisions of the constitution.
 
He said the rally supported the ratio the funds saved from the subsidy scam is being shared between the three tiers of government, adding that “it is the right thing to do.”
 
“After a meeting between the President and state Governors, they shared the money accordingly and my own state, Rivers State, got N44 billion… Jigawa N11 billion…
 
“We are saying that this is the right thing to do constitutionally and the President should stand on that position…” he added.
 
Another prominent Niger Delta activist and the spokesperson of Ijaw Republican Assembly (IRA) Ms. Ann Kio-Briggs, criticized the security agents for disrupting the peace rally.
 
“The action of the police showed that there are two separate laws in the country -- one of the laws is for Nigeria and the other one is for the Niger Delta region.
 
“Those in Lagos were able to gather and express their views without the police stopping them. But we want to express our views on the corruption in the oil and gas sector, but the police did not allow us…” she said.
 
In his reaction, the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Suleiman Abba, explained that security operatives were directed to stop the rally following a directive from labour unions and civil society groups.