THE JURY RULES: FCT police out of order

Before the Jury of TheCable newspaper holden at Lagos this 3rd day of June, 2014 between #BringBackOurGirls protesters (plaintiffs) and Federal Capital Territory police command/police commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu (defendant)

THE CLAIMS

THAT you, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, Adult, Male, Christian, being the police commissioner in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and acting on behalf of the government of the federation, on June 2, 2014 banned sit-in protests in Abuja over the abductions of hundreds of schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State;

THAT you acted in absolute disregard for their fundamental human rights, viz freedom of expression and freedom of association, as guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

THAT your action is in furtherance of the hostility of the federal government towards the protests organised by #BringBackOurGirls which is now being regarded as an initiative of the opposition party despite the global acclaim.

THE DEFENCE

THAT you, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, were worried that some “dangerous elements” were about to hijack the protests which could pose a serious security threat;

THAT the ban was not aimed at only #BringBackTheGirls campaign directed at the federal government but also at the counter protests directed at Boko Haram by #ReleaseOurGirls;

THAT you are only being proactive by banning all protests as “I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness”;

THAT the protests were becoming a  nuisance to the government.

THE JUDGMENT

WHEREAS you, Mr. Mbu Jospeh Mbu, said you were worried “dangerous elements” were going to hijack the protest, TheCable Jury does not consider it a mere coincidence that a counter group sprang up shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan said protests should be directed at Boko Haram and not the federal government;

WHEREAS you said all protests were banned, TheCable Jury is not convinced your action is not targeted at #BringBackOurGirls and related to the pronouncement by minister of information Labaran Maku that 90% of the protesters are opposition members;

WHEREAS you claimed your action is a pre-emptive security measure, TheCable Jury finds it ridiculous that the day hoodlums attacked #BringBackOurGirls protesters at the Unity Fountain, your officers stood by watching as if they were in a cinema;

WHEREAS you claimed your action is in the interest of law and order, TheCable Jury is of the view that in the absence of a state of emergency being declared in the FCT, the basic rights of the citizens cannot be abridged with a mere pronouncement by a police chief;

THEREFORE, TheCable Jury finds your action grossly high-handed, undemocratic and premeditated. The ban will further subject the government to ridicule locally and internationally and portray it as being paranoid.

TheCable Jury hereby rules that the decision to ban rallies should be reversed immediately and the police should instead provide adequate security to the citizens since this is their primary duty. Failing this, the police should expect a litany of litigation for this highhandedness…