Despite court judgements, police arrest protesters for not having permit

Despite court judgements that made it clear police permit was not required for peaceful protests, the police have arrested some protesters for not seeking a permit.

The FCT Police Command on Wednesday said it had arrested nine suspects in connection with the protest in the Nigerian capital on Wednesday.

A statement issued by the command’s spokesman, Anjuguri Manzah, said that the suspects were currently in the custody of the command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and that investigation had begun.

“We have arrested nine suspects and they are with the command’s CID,“ Mr. Manzah said.

He said that the protesters did not seek for police permission before they embarked on the protest, and that they became violent in the process.

The police spokesman said that the suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigation.

Mr. Manzah said that the command would not tolerate lawlessness from any group of persons or individuals.

He assured of the command’s readiness to protect law abiding residents of the territory.

The Nigerian police in various states have always insisted on the police permit despite the rulings of the federal high court and the court of appeal on the matter.

Last year, the police tried to stop a Bring Back Our Girls rally in Abuja demanding freedom for the abducted Chibok girls under the claim the group had no permit for the rally.