Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has banned public protests in the state, a terse statement signed and made public Thursday night by Emma Okah, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, said.
The statement, which gave no reason for the ban, said it took “immediate effect” and until further notice.
It directed security agencies to enforce the ban “in the interest of public peace and order.”
In the past three days, thousands of demonstrators had taken to the streets of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, either for or against the handling of the March 9 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state. On Thursday thousands of women marched through the streets calling for the resignation of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Obo Effanga, accusing him of compromise. Same day, another group of marchers rallied support for the embattled REC, asking him to declare the results of the elections without further delay.
