Police ask protest leaders to provide names and contact details

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has urged organisers of the protest scheduled for August 1 to submit their details to their respective state commissioners.

Egbetokun spoke on Friday in Abuja at a press conference in reaction to the planned nationwide protest against the rising cost of living in the country.

He said providing this information will enable the force to deploy adequate personnel and resources to ensure public safety.

“To facilitate an incident-free demonstration, they (the demonstration organizers) must provide the following information: one, the proposed route of the demonstration and the assembly point; two, the expected duration of the demonstration; three, the names and contact details of the leaders and organizers of the demonstration; four, measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, including key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.

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“Designate specific routes and areas for the protest to avoid conflicts with other events or activities; establish clear lines of communication with protest leaders to address any concerns or issues that may arise; and minimize the risk of violence, property damage, or other criminal activity.

“We encourage all protesters to cooperate with police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to ensure the safe and successful exercise of their rights.

“We are committed to working with all Nigerians to promote peaceful expression and maintain law and order,” Egbetokun said.

He had earlier revealed that police had credible intelligence that foreign mercenaries were involved in the planned protest.