‘No Protest, breakdown of laws and order in Ebonyi -Police insist 

…As Neighbourhood commander vows to prevent hijack of protest in Ebonyi 

By, Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki 

Ebonyi state police command on Monday insisted that there was no protest or breakdown of laws and order in any part of the state, as witnessed in other states of the federation.

The commissioner of police, Adaku Uche-Anya made this known while briefing newsmen shortly after the joint patrol of security agencies; Military, DSS, NSCDC, Immigration, among others, who 

Uche-Anya who spoke through the police public relations officer, SP. Joshua Okande said:”Currently, no protest is happening in Ebonyi State. 

However, because of the filas around the federation, the command is also up, and we havemade deployments around the state to make sure that people can go about their lawful business without fear.

“We assure Ebonyans that, as always, the command is ready to carry out its mandate of protecting lives and property.

Speaking on why Ebonyians shun the protest, he said: “Constitutionally, everybody has the right to protest.Our own is to give adequate security. I can’t say for anybody.If you want to go out and protest, the only thing we are saying is, do it in a peaceful manner.

“So, if people are not protesting in Ebonyi, it’s up to the people of Ebonyi State to say.There are some places that are shut down, like banks, courts, and other places that were shutdown.

“If there are places that are shutdown, I can’t say to that as well. Like we said, people were already out as early as 05.30 hours. we’ve gone around.

“There is no fear around.So going around, the patrols that we are carrying out today is just to tell people that no matter what you’re hearing in other places around the country, that we’re also not keeping our two eyes closed.

“Preparation does not mean fear.So the fact that we are carrying out those patrols does not mean that we feel things are going to happen.It’s just a normal way of giving people confidence that the police is here.

“Our constitutional mandate is protection of lives and property.So we have nothing to do with the protest.But if anybody wants to do that, we’ll make sure that the person is carrying it out ina way that would not even affect other people’s business. 

“Arguably, Ebonyi State is the safest state in the whole of the Federation.And on our own, our officers are also working very hard to make sure that residents of EbonyiState sleeps with their two eyes closed. 

We do as much as we can in conjunction with sister security agencies to make sure that the state is safe for residents of Ebonyi State” he stated 

Responding, the Ebonyi state commander of Neighbourhood watch, Nwenyi Victor said: “it is our primary duty to protect lives and properties of Ebonyi people.We are not just doing it to please anybody,but it is our primary duty to do that.

Following the Governor’s People’s Charter of Needs,you know that security is number one part of his People’s Charter of Needs.

“So security of life and property is everybody’s business,though it is our mandate tomake sure that everyone stays peaceful. And today, we are just in the streets,normally the way we normally do,though there is a little clause because of the issue of protest,which I think earlier last week, DSS announced that there shouldn’t be any formal gathering anywhere in the state.

“For a while now, there have not been any gathering of any form in the entire State.All these things are championed to make sure that there is peace in Ebonyi State, because our duty is to secure life and properties.I don’t really know what they call protests or whatever.

“I don’t really know, but we have a living example, when they said they are going for EndSars protests.You know, along the line, it was hijacked by hoodlums.Many things were damaged. 

“The state properties were damaged, among other things.And we don’t really want that again.We don’t want it to repeat itself.

“I don’t really know their point of protesting,but the major thing we are interested in, is that following previous ones, that is being hijacked by hoodlums, you know, we don’t want our properties to be destroyed again for any reason.

“People are going about their various businesses.Nobody disturbs them.See my men parading in the street,they are not hurting anybody, they are not stopping anybody.They just want to make sure that people are going about their business” he added.