Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has called on people of the state to disregard insinuations that the state government is planning to clamp down on protesters.
The governor in a state-wide broadcast on Wednesday while acknowledging the people’s right to protest in a democratic society monitored by ABN TV, said, the state government under his leadership does not intend to deny the people of this right.
He, however, expressed regret that the protest has been hijacked by criminal elements who go about destroying public property.
“I wish to place it on record that I agree that peaceful protests are a legitimate means of ventilating anger in a democratic setting and I, therefore, agree with the rights of the citizens especially of Abia State to peacefully protest any situation that they are uncomfortable with. You will also agree that the Abia State Government and her officials have ensured that the legitimate peaceful protesters have been given every avenue to ventilate their grievances.
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“It has however become obvious that the legitimate protesters have been unable to control the spread of the protest and have allowed it to degenerate into civil disobedience which has been hijacked by criminal elements as a means to foment trouble, endanger lives and damage public property.
“A situation where a Policeman will be killed, Police stations attacked and burnt down with other harm to government infrastructure, is sadly outside the realm of acceptable conducts in the cause of a protest. Citizens have become apprehensive with clear and present danger to lives of Ndi Abia and no responsible Government will sit back and allow this state of affairs to continue” he said.
While appealing to the people not to engage in a violent confrontation, the governor assured that the state government will investigate all reports of brutality and human right violation.
“I wish to emphasize that no sitting Governor controls rule of engagement of security agents but we shall ensure that all allegations of high handedness by security agents will be investigated by the judicial panel. But we encourage our people not to confront armed security agents as doing so might lead to unfortunate outcomes.
“I have just finished a Security Council Meeting with Service Commanders of all Security Formations in the State and all hands are on deck to keep the people of Abia State safe and ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order,” he said.
