The proposed nationwide “#Revolutionnow” protest on Monday did not hold in Rivers state.
The Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike had on Sunday warned against the embattled Omoyele Sowore initiated protest in the state, directing all security operatives to be on guard to foil any of such protest and arrest participants.
Today, Security agencies in Port Harcourt, defied the all-day rains to Man all strategic protest places in the capital City, especially the Isaac Boro Park, near the state House apparently to foil all forms of gathering to ensure no break down of law and order in the state.
Meanwhile, there was no gathering of any kind, business activities are going on as usual in the area.
The statement signed by Wike’s personal Assistant on Electronic media, Simeon Nwakudu Sunday night distanced the state and her residents of any ill agenda the initiators of the exercise might hold.
He said, “nobody should attempt the RevolutionNow protest in the state. Rivers State is not part of the RevolutionNow protest and whatever illegal agenda it seeks to pursue.
“Rivers State does not subscribe to what the RevolutionNow protest represents and Rivers State is not part of the protest”.
He directed security agencies in the state to arrest anybody involved in the RevolutionNow protest and also take all necessary steps to prosecute such persons.
Governor Wike urged parents to ensure that their children are not misled by agents of the march to participate in the illegal protest.
“All council chairmen are directed to be at alert. If they suspect any illegal gathering, they should report to the security agencies for immediate action “, Governor Wike directed.
To this effects, leaders of some state-based civil society groups contacted on Monday to inquire of the protesters planned take-off point in the state, nobody appeared to know much about the exercise, hence could not tell where, when and how it would be.
They said, ” My group is not part of the protest and do not know where they intend to gather. The state government has warned against staging the protest in the state, the last time we planned this kind of protest in the state, the government stopped it and since he has warned against this, there will be no protest in the state.” he said.