RIVERS CRISIS: IG ORDERS MBU TO PROTECT PRO - AMAECHIs RALLIES - TopicsExpress

RIVERS CRISIS: IG ORDERS MBU TO PROTECT PRO - AMAECHIs RALLIES FROM TODAY. The warning sounded by the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC over the Rivers Crisis has begun to yield results as the Inspector General of Police Muhammed Abubakar yesterday intervened in the face-off between Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Police Commissioner Joseph Mbu and directed that the police should give protection to a rally by the pro-Amaechi Save Rivers Movement (SRM) at Bori-Ogoni, today. Two previous rallies held by the group were disrupted: the first by the police who fired into the crowd, injuring Senator Magnus Abe; and the second by militants. The Chief of Staff at Government House , Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, confirmed yesterday that the rally would be peaceful as the police had agreed to ensure maximum security. Amaechi is expected at the rally and he vowed, as he did last week when the last rally was disrupted that he was ready for the bullets of militants allegedly hired to cause trouble. The APC to which Amaechi belongs had, on Thursday, directed its members in the National Assembly to block all proposals by the Presidency until the rule of law is restored to the state. Until now, only the rallies organised by the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) were allowed and protected by the police in the state. The GDI has as its grand patron, Chief Nyesom Wike, Supervisory Minister of Education who is the arrowhead of the opposition to the governor. It was learnt that following the recent development IGP Abubakar directed CP Mbu to ensure protection for today’s rally. The militants, who disrupted last Sunday’s rally at Bori, have threatened to stike again today. Governor Amaechi said through Okocha yesterday that there was no going back on the rally. He said: “Arrangements are in top gear. We have just been reliably informed that the Rivers Commissioner of Police has directed the Area Commander in Bori to provide adequate security for the rally in Bori. “Governor Amaechi also called the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar.