IGP’s Request for Protesters’ Details Sparks Controversy

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) has issued a directive requiring all groups planning to participate in the proposed nationwide protest to submit their names, addresses, and contact details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states. This move is aimed at ensuring a peaceful and incident-free protest, according to the IGP.

However, this directive has sparked a debate about the balance between the right to protest and the need for public safety. Some argue that it’s an attempt to intimidate protesters, while others believe it’s a necessary step to prevent the protest from being hijacked by troublemakers.

The IGP’s request comes amidst reports of a potential nationwide protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over a new minimum wage agreement. The IGP has ordered a large-scale deployment of police officers across Nigeria to maintain public order and prevent any breakdown of law and order.

In a statement released by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the IGP emphasized that while peaceful protests are a democratic right, the police will not tolerate any acts of violence or the destruction of lives and property.

“Those who want to stage a peaceful protest are advised to inform the police and request for police protection. Members of the public are again reminded that it is a criminal offence to tamper with the national grid or prevent/ disrupt the transmission of electricity,” the statement read.

The IGP has directed all Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police and State Command Commissioners of Police to collaborate with other security agencies to uphold these directives nationwide.

The Nigerian Police Force, being a civil and responsive institution, committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, has warned that any attempt to disrupt critical infrastructure, which could lead to an act of economic sabotage, treasonable felony, and jeopardize national security and public safety, will not be condoned during any protest action but will be met with the full force of the law.

The directive has received mixed reactions from the public. While some support the move as a necessary measure to maintain peace and order, others view it as an attempt to stifle the right to protest.

As the nation awaits the outcome of the proposed nationwide protest, the debate over the balance between the right to protest and the need for public safety continues to rage on.