The Presidency on Saturday has said it stands by the position of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, on the ongoing pro-Biafra protests in some states in the South-East.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent.
Adesina was responding to a question on whether President Muhammadu Buhari will or has ordered the deployment of troops in the South-East over the protests.
The presidential spokesman said the nation’s law enforcement agencies know the right thing to do in the circumstance.
He added that they had started doing the right thing.
He said, “The issue of Biafra is a matter of law and order. The law enforcement agencies know what to do, and they are doing it. The IGP (Solomon Arase) has spoken on it earlier this week. That position remains.”
Arase had during the week issued a stern warning to the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra and the Indigenous People of Biafra activists to stop threatening public peace or face the full weight of the law.
The IGP noted that the increasing resort to acts of brigandage of this nature was pointing to a clear attempt by the brains behind the protests to test the will of security agencies to restore order and guarantee internal cohesion.
He said the restoration and maintenance of law and public order, and protection of lives and property remain the sacred and statutory mandate of the Nigeria Police.
This mandate, according to him, shall be fully executed in the overriding interests of the nation and vast majority of citizens and residents of the South-East geopolitical Zone.
He then ordered the mobilisation and deployment of Police Mobile Force across the country to reinforce security in the state commands that MASSOB and IPOB are currently attempting to utilise as launching pads for their sinister intentions.
The Assistant Inspectors-General of Police Zone 5 (Benin); Zone 6 (Calabar) and Zone 9 (Umuahia), as well as all Commissioners of Police in the affected states in the South-East and neigbouring states were also directed to henceforth maximally exercise their statutory mandate in relation to prevention and disruption of any gathering that threatens public order and national cohesion.
Meanwhile, a security expert, Mr. Ona Ekhomu, has urged the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to exercise caution in handling pro-Biafra protests.
Ekhomu noted that if these agitations were not handled properly handled by the country’s security agencies, it could result into more violence in the country.
Speaking to our correspondent on the telephone on Friday, Ekhomu said while pro-Biafra agitators were entitled to their opinion and right to freedom of speech, it was wrong for them to do so by a show of force or violence.
He said, “We know there is only one Nigeria. But I think the security agencies need to be very circumspect in the way they handle the protests. And in a modern democratic state, all members of the society who have an organised voice are entitled to their opinion, to speak out against whatever they feel unhappy about. But if those protesting now carry weapons and say they want to attack military/public institutions and military barracks, then taking up violent action against them would be called for.
“Since these protesters are not armed, I think what is needed more now is suasion, because people must be allowed to air their opinions. Those protesting are trying to ventilate and make a statement. But the protests should be done the right way. If it is not handled properly, it could culminate into violence.”
“There should be better training and re-training for our security officials in handling such issues.”
Source :www.punchng.com/?p=13356
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