During the #EndBadGovernance protest in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday, a journalist was harassed by thugs. According to our correspondent, the thugs positioned themselves opposite the Federal Secretariat, intimidating and dispersing both journalists and protesters.
Prior to our correspondent’s arrival, witnesses reported that two protesters had already been assaulted while police officers reportedly did not intervene. The journalist was also surrounded and threatened by the thugs, who claimed to be there to prevent any protests from taking place that day.
The Federal Secretariat on the Port Harcourt/Aba express road has been a focal point for protesters over the past seven days of the hunger and end bad governance protest. The inaction of over 20 police officers, who witnessed the events but did not intervene, raises concerns about the security and protection of the right to protest in Rivers State.
In response to the incident, Rivers State Police Commissioner Olatunji Disu expressed concern and pledged a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and prevent similar incidents in the future.
It is worth noting that the Rivers State Commissioner of Police has visited the protest sites multiple times in the past days, ensuring the professionalism of his officers and maintaining peace and orderliness among the protesters since the beginning of the protest. At one point, Disu even offered light refreshments to the peaceful protesters in Port Harcourt as a gesture of appreciation for their peaceful and law-abiding conduct.
Wednesday marked the seventh day of the nationwide protest, which later turned violent in some Northern states of the federation.
