The violent disruption of the ‘Take it Back’ protest in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, alongside reported assaults on journalists, is a deeply concerning development that demands immediate and impartial investigation.

Development Diaries reports that the protest, organised by the Take-It-Back Movement to challenge sections of the Cybercrime Act believed to undermine civil liberties, was initially peaceful before armed thugs allegedly attacked demonstrators.

According to eyewitness accounts and video evidence, there was a failure by law enforcement officers to intervene, with some reports even implicating police officers in the harassment and assault of media personnel.

It is understood that a Channels TV correspondent was also harassed and threatened by the group, who claimed they had been sent to stop the protest from holding.

Also, two protesters were reportedly beaten while police officers nearby failed to intervene.

This is an instance of a threat to democratic freedoms in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Constitution and international human rights standards guarantee the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

That these rights were reportedly violated in the presence of security operatives is alarming.

The assault on journalists points again to a pattern of shrinking press freedom in Nigeria. These acts of aggression, whether carried out directly by the police or through their passive complicity, must not be overlooked.

Amnesty International has rightly called for an independent investigation into the attacks, stressing that accountability is key to restoring public trust.

The silence or inaction of authorities in the face of such violations will certainly embolden future acts of impunity and also deepen citizens’ distrust of governance and law enforcement institutions.

Development Diaries calls on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Commissioner of Police (CP) for the Rivers State Police Command, Olugbenga Adewole, to uncover the identities of those responsible, whether they are thugs or officers of the law, and subject them to due process.

Also, beyond investigating the violence, the National Assembly must also revisit concerns about the Cybercrime Act and its potential misuse to stifle opposition voices.

Photo source: Sahara Reporters