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Why We Tear Gassed Anti-Buhari Protesters -Police …Senate Says President Hasn’t Violated Any Law
The police yesterday gave reasons why officers attacked participants at a rally protesting President Muhammadu Buhari’s indefinite medical vacation in London.
An entertainer and rights activist, Charlie Boy, and Uyi Amadin, a security correspondent with Silverbird Television, as well as his cameraman, sustained injuries during the clampdown, it was learnt.
Yesterday’s exercise marked the second day of the action, which began on Monday morning at Unity Fountain, Abuja.
The demonstrators are calling on the President to either return to the country or resign.
The president has been away since May 7, 93 days ago, with citizens having only a sparse idea about his well-being other than a few pictures distributed by his office which showed him meeting visiting leaders from the country.
Yesterday, the protesters, numbering only about ten, according to witnesses, returned to the park, which is located opposite Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Maitama.
The ground has been used by BringBackOurGirls campaigners for their daily sit-out since 2014.
Anjuguri Manzah, spokesperson for the FCT Command, said officers moved to disperse “some miscreants, hoodlums and other criminal elements that have infiltrated the protest.”
Mr. Manzah accused the protesters of “blocking major roads” adjoining the area”, thereby preventing citizens from free passage.
But those who witnessed the attack contradicted the police’s account.
Mr. Amadin, who said he arrived early to cover the event, said the police moved against the protesters, who were “not more than 10.”
The reporter told The Tide that the officers informed the protesters that they had “orders from above” to crack down on the protesters when they return to Unity Fountain.
“They even unleashed fighter dogs against the protesters, including Charlie Boy,” he said.
“When they started beating me despite identifying myself as a journalist, they saw my cameraman filming the whole scene from afar and they swooped on him too and severely injured him.
“They seized our camera and did what they wanted with it,” the reporter added.
He said the protesters were clearly not violent.
When our correspondent sought police’s explanation for the attack on Mr. Amadin, force spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said the reporter should go and report the assault at the police station.
“We’re not aware that any journalist was caught in the confrontation,” Mr. Moshood said. “But the person can go to the station to lodge a complaint.”
On Monday, the protesters marched under the supervision of the police, which was confirmed by Mr. Manzah in his latest statement.
Deji Adeyanju, convener of Concerned Nigerians which was amongst the coalition of civic groups that put together the exercise, said the Buhari administration was “clearly uncomfortable with the success of the protest on Monday.”
“One thing is: The government cannot deal with us so ruthlessly for the past two years and still tell us that we cannot wail,” he added.
“This is just the beginning because we will not allow a sick old man to continue to hold the collective destiny of 180 million people to ransom,” he said.
The presidency defended the rights of the protesters to assemble and vent their grievances as emblematic of a democratic system, but faulted demands for Mr. Buhari’s resignation.
“The President has complied 100 per cent with the constitution by handing over power to the Vice-President before proceeding on his vacation,” Mr. Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said. “He has not breached any law or the constitution by staying away from office to take care of his health.”
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari had not violated any law by not returning from medical vacation after 90 days.
The Senate made this known in a statement by its spokesman, Aliyu Abdullahi in Abuja.
It was reacting to protests by a coalition of civil society organisations, operating under the aegis of “Our Mumu Don Do”, demanding the resignation of the president over his long medical vacation in London.
It urged the protesters to stop heating up the polity, saying that it was creating unnecessary tension in the country.
The upper chamber said that the protest was an attempt to divert the attention of the Presidency from the economic and security issues, which were already being tackled.
It explained that Mr. Buhari had complied with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulated that he must handover to the Vice President and duly inform the two chambers of the legislature about his medical vacation.
“The president has broken no law and therefore we do not see any justification for this diversion and noise-making.
“The sponsors are merely seeking cheap publicity at the expense of the peace of Nigeria.
“We, in the National Assembly, are satisfied that there is no vacuum. The Federal Government is working.
“Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is providing the required leadership. So, there is no reason for the protests.
“All Nigerians now should focus on praying for the safe return of the President.
“We in the Senate are happy about the report by the governors and party leaders, who recently visited President Buhari in London and we know he will soon return to continue to provide leadership to our people and the rest of Africa.
“We therefore call on the protesters to stop all these demonstrations and let their sense of patriotism overshadow the zeal for activism by joining other Nigerians to pray for the president.
“We should also pray for the acting president and Nigeria as a country at this critical period,” it stated.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that peace has prevailed because he draws strength from God to resist insults and tantrums thrown at him while frustrating attempts by some disgruntled persons who wanted to plunge the State into unending crisis.
The Governor also said that because he has anchored his Government on promoting peace, the enabling atmosphere has been provided for investments and sustainable development to flourish.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he received a delegation of members of the Bishops and Gospel Ministers’ Association International Incorporated, Rivers State Chapter, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara said while most people took his meekness for weakness, his stance on peace has unarguably enhanced harmonious atmosphere of concord as residents sleep with their two eyes closed, and investors and shareholders are happy with the returns on investment.
He said, “Before, what they hear of Rivers State is that they are fighting, and some genuine investors will not come. Some people even ask you: How are you coping in Rivers State?
“But now”, he asserted: “The Governor has brought about a lot of changes in the State. One of the most important things is that he has changed the negative narrative. It is no longer Rivers of blood. It is now Rivers of peace.
“We are enjoying our lives here. Why? Because there is a change in the narrative. We have peace. The Governor is, as much as possible, absorbing any level of insult at him only for one purpose: that Rivers State may have peace; that we may grow; that this state will experience genuine development.”
Governor Fubara urged them, as members of the Christian family in the State, to continue to pray for the State and the Government so that the enemies of the State will be put to greater shame.
“This peace is what I want you to embrace. Go and continue to pray, because when the sower of the seed went and sowed, the enemy went in the night and sowed tares inside there. But the Governor is sowing peace.
“When I listened to the leader of the team, His Grace Eddy Ogbonda, he said you came all the way from Eleme Junction, and stopped at major junctions, and you uttered prayers for the peace of Rivers State.”
He also said: “I, hereby want to thank you for identifying with the Governor at a time like this. At a time when it looks as if someone wants the Governor’s peace posture misunderstood as weakness.
“When someone has the strength to fight back, but refuses to fight back. That is a bigger strength; that power of restrain does not just come, it can only come from God.
“You cannot give peace, if you do not have peace within you. The Governor is not interested in any form of trouble or violence. What he is interested in is known, and it is: let there be peace in Rivers State,” he said.
In his address, leader of the group, Archbishop Eddy Ogbonda, said they had observed a week-long intensive prayers that culminated into a peace rally, which brought them to Government House, and assured the Governor that God will continue to give him victory over his adversaries while preserving Rivers State.
“It is Rivers State Prophetic Prayer Convocation and Rally 2024 with the theme: ‘Peace be still’. Of a truth, everyone of us understands that we live in a time when we need peace much more than any other thing.
“Rivers State needs peace. Everyone as individuals need peace. The country needs peace, and the world at large needs peace. So, we are here to do a peace march. We pray that God will command His peace to reign in Rivers State,” he said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that hotels, schools, and other establishments that accept payments in dollars from their customers are at risk of facing arrest.
The Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, said this in the agency’s publication called EFCC Alert on Monday, adding that action would be taken against individuals involved in the dollarisation of the economy.
According to him, the exception is if foreigners come in to transact business and the only means of transacting is their credit card and dollar but to charge local customers in dollars or other foreign currencies would no longer be allowed.
He said charging local activities and customers in dollars is against Nigeria’s constitution.
The EFCC chairman said, “Schools that charge Nigerians in dollar, supermarkets that trade in dollar, estate developers that sell their property in dollar, hotels that are invoicing in dollar, we are coming after you and we have made arrests in that area.
“Yes, if foreigners are coming in and the only means of transacting is their credit card, and dollar, why not? You will get that.
“But document it properly as against selling things within the system, local economy and you will be using dollar as the medium of exchange, it is illegal.
“Our law does not allow for that. And we have also affected some arrests.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has enjoined Muslim faithful to remain steadfast to the lessons learnt during the holy month of Ramadan.
Governor Fubara stated this in his message of felicitations to Muslims as they celebrate the 2024 Eid-el-Fitr Sallah, which marks the end of the one-month Ramadan fasting.
The Governor emphasised the importance for Muslims to also uphold the tenets of Islam by exhibiting the fear of God and showing piety in their daily work.
Governor Fubara said, “We must all continue in the good attributes imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan as directed by God through His Prophet, so as to ensure peace, unity and harmony in the society for a better future.”
While praying that the essence of the festival offers them happiness, peace and prosperity in all aspects of life, Governor Fubara said he recognises and appreciates the critical role that the Muslim community continues to play in the development of Rivers State, and indeed, Nigeria at large.
Governor Fubara charged them to remain unwavering and steadfast in their commitment and positive contributions to advance the development of the State and the country.
“I enjoin you all in the State to remain calm, be patient and continue to do what is right,” the Governor added.
He wished the Muslim faithful in the State and across the country a happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
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