Police Tear Gas 13,000 Teachers In Rivers

Men of the Rivers State Police Command yesterday tear-gassed and disperse about 13,000 primary and secondary school teachers newly recruited by the Rivers State government, accusing them of planning to hold a demonstration against President Goodluck Jonathan.


LEADERSHIP gathered that the teachers were at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, on the directive of the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Education, to receive their letters of posting to various schools in the state when about seven police patrol vehicles swooped on them.

A senior police officer, who led the operation, told journalists on the condition of anonymity that they were at the stadium on orders ‘from above’ to disperse the crowd that had gathered to embark on a demonstration against the administration of President Jonathan.

It was gathered that attempt by the newly recruited teachers to explain their mission at the stadium to the stern-looking policemen led to the firing of  tear-gas canisters at them by the police.

Reacting to the development, Rivers State governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi described the action of the police as a crass display of oppressive state power, saying that it was amazing that the state government and people of the state were now living under the siege of the Nigeria Police.

Amaechi, who spoke through his chief of staff, Tony Okocha, said: “It’s crass display of naked power. As you are aware, Rivers State Government recently engaged 13,000 teachers for the primary and secondary schools. They were invited to collect their posting letters today at the stadium, and alas Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu deployed his men to disperse them on suspicion that they were to demonstrate against the President. What a shame!

“The preponderance of that population is women. Imagine women falling over one another because of the hot chase and canisters of teargas freely deployed by the police. This is barbaric. The CP ought to apply some tact even in his mission to destroy Rivers State.”
 
We acted on intelligence report – police

The Rivers State Police Command said it acted on intelligence report at its disposal when its men dispersed the newly recruited teachers that gathered at the Liberation Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt.

The new Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Ahmed Mohammed, a deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told LEADERSHIP that the intelligence report revealed that the crowd intended to embark on a public protest in the state capital, pointing out that the state government did not get permission from the police before assembling the teachers.

Mohammed said: “Intelligence report at our disposal revealed that those who gathered at the Liberation Stadium intended to embark on a public protest. As required, the Rivers State government is supposed to inform the police about such gathering, as you know, but they never did.

“So, we sent our men to stop the gathering to avoid a breakdown of law and order. Let me use this medium to remind members of the public that the ban on public protest is still in force. Please, note that we acted based on intelligence report.”

Meanwhile, some of the newly recruited teachers who spoke to LEADERSHIP insisted that they were at the Liberationstadium to receive letters posting them to their various areas of new assignment.
 
Peterside condemns attack, warns against continuing impunity

Hon. Dakuku Peterside, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), has described the invasion of Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt where newly recruited teachers had gone for orientation by the police in Port Harcourt as the height of impunity and lawlessness.

Peterside made the statement yesterday while reacting to the attack on 13,000 new teachers who had gone for documentation and briefing at the stadium.

The lawmaker expressed worryed over the growing instances of impunity by the police in Rivers State under the command of the state police commissioner, Joseph Mbu, called on Nigerians to defend democracy now before it is too late.
 
Family petitions IG over dismissal of Amaechi’s ADC

The family of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Debewari Semeikumo, the Aide De Camp (ADC) to Rivers State governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, over his rumoured dismissal from the Nigeria Police.

Semeikumo was declared a deserter by Rivers police commissioner  Mr. Joseph Mbu, on September 3, 2013, after he failed to honour an invitation by the IGP to explain his role in the fracas that occurred in the State Assembly  on July 9, 2013.

Leadership