The #EndBadGovernance protests in Abuja escalated on Thursday as demonstrators and police expressed differing opinions over the appropriate location for the ongoing protests at the Moshood Abiola Stadium.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ben Igweh, addressed the situation, insisting that the protesters adhere to a court order requiring them to stay within the stadium grounds. However, the Convener of Concerned Nigerians, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, said that they protesters are not breaking any court order as they are within the National Stadium.
Igweh, while speaking with an ARISE NEWS correspondent, said, “There is no misunderstanding, we have court order on subsistent service, which their Barrister, Barrister Adedeji Adeyanju who is leading them, is aware of. The subsistent service said that the order is that they should protest inside the stadium, and we requested that each group that will protest has to come to the police and notify the police, no group has notified the police.
“We only came here to see some people here, and we said, for the fact you have not notified us and they want to protest, follow the court order, which Deji Adeyanju, the Barrister, is aware. The order said protest inside the stadium. We are not stopping anybody from protesting, but look at how they’re blocking the express road. And I said no, because where their rights stops is where another man’s own stops. Because they are infringing into the right of way of people, it’s not good. They are equally tramping on other people’s right of passage, and that’s why I said no, that they should enter the stadium where court has given order that they should enter inside, they should carry their 1,000 pressmen and enter the stadium and protest.”
When asked if he had spoken to Adeyanju, Igweh said, “I have spoken with him, he said I should give him three hours for him to organise them to enter into the stadium. I’m giving him three hours.”
The Commissioner was then asked what steps he would take if the protesters refused to enter the stadium, to which he replied, “Then they’re not law abiding. It’s not me that gave the ruling, it’s court order. So, if they want to breach the court order, they are breaching the court order. It’s not my order, it’s not the order of the Inspector General of Police.”
However, Convener of Concerned Nigerians, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, in response to the CP’s statements, said, “The protesters are in the stadium. Are we not in National Stadium? The court order said National Stadium. They have refused to allow us to go to Eagle Square, we said we will not confront them.”
“The court order said stadium, National Stadium, that’s what the court order said…Are we not complying? Are we not at the stadium, are we at eagle square?,” he added
When asked what he would do if the security agencies insist that the protesters enter the stadium, Adeyanju replied, “Then they have to carry us in. I’ve gone to speak, as a lawyer, I’ve advised the protesters. I said, listen, nomatter how uncomfortable you are with a positive court order, whether it is interim, interlocutory, or perpetual, you must try to comply. The law must see you taking steps to comply. You can see that people kept it- protesters called me early as 5am this morning and said they’re going to storm Eagle’s Square, and I advised them that they should not go there, that they should not go to the Eagle’s Square because if they do that, they will be disobeying the court order.”
He went on to say, “Because we are in the stadium, we are within the ambit of the law complying with the positive order of the court, because we are in the vicinity of the National Stadium. We are not in the three arm zone.”
Adeyanju then said, “Before the CP came, you see how peaceful and serene the place was. But with the CP’s presence, the atmosphere is charged. So, my appeal to my big brother is that you should not take steps that will make the protests degenerate.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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