Police in Edo disperse women support rally over fear of hoodlums

By Christiana Ekpa

Police officers from Edo State Command early hours of Monday stopped a peaceful rally organised by the Godsent foundation in Benin city.
Participants of the rally tagged ‘our mama must chop rally’ were held up in front of the Oba’s palace while trying to submit a letter to the Benin monarch on the need for women to have food on their table.
Becky Agaga and Barrett Obehi who represented the president of the foundation, Amb. Osarodion Osagie said the peaceful rally was to draw the attention of concerned authorities including the state government on the need to empower the less-privilege in the society.
“We are out here to let the authorities know what our boss Amb Dion Osagie has been doing and the need for other persons to join us in the quest for a better Edo state.
“The state government is aware of our rally today, we also wrote to the police but we are surprised that they are saying we cannot do this rally.
“They have ordered us to return to our office and bring the rally to an end.
Addressing the protesters, ACP Anche Joseph said the Command does not have any choice but to stop the rally owing to the present security challenge in the country.
“We have received security reports that any rally or protest may be hijacked by hoodlums. You saw how EndSARS started.
“My advice is that they wait for the command to approve so that we can also deploy security personnel along with them.
The participants were escorted back to the NGO office where they were instructed not to leave the vicinity but to send letters to targeted offices.