Nigeria Content Online

Police in Uyo, Akwa
Ibom State, yesterday, arrested scores of youth who had staged a march
in support of a governorship aspirant accused recently by the state
government of murder.

Truckloads of
security personnel disrupted a protest organised by the youth group and
sealed off the campaign office of James Akpanudoedehe, a former
minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who now seeks the state
governorship seat, arresting at least 30 of the men in the process.

The state police
commissioner, Walter Rugbere, told journalists the men will be charged
to court Wednesday for failing to secure permission for the procession,
and constituting “public nuisance.”

Mr. Akpanudoedehe
was arrested last week after the state government accused him of having
a role in the murder of a prominent politician who was gunned down in
the state a forthnight ago.

His arrest heightened tension in a state already fraught with rampant cases of kidnapping, murders, and overall insecurity.

The opposition
blamed the state governor, Godswill Akpabio, of running a highhanded
administration that brooks no dissent. But the state government had
always disputed this.

“By laying the
blame for Inyang’s murder on the opposition, even ahead of police
investigation, the state government is employing scare tactics and
wants to be the judge in its own case,” said Mr. Akpanudoedehe, days
after Paul Inyang, top PDP official, was shot dead while worshiping in
church.

Mr. Akpanudoedehe,
former minister, who is now seeking to become the state’s next
governor, said the administration’s policies have become more
intimidating, as more persons announced their decision to challenge the
re-election of the incumbent governor, Mr. Akpabio.

Inciting messages

The police said
yesterday’s arrest was to maintain peace that was threatened by
“inciting messages” displayed on the placards of the protesters, and
the harassment of motorists.

But reports from
witnesses said the protest by Mr. Akpanudoedehe’s supporters was
peaceful, and did not engage in forceful behavior such as harassment of
motorists, as claimed by the police.

The youths
reportedly converged as early as 6 a.m, marched through some of the
major streets in the capital city, including Oron Road, Ikot Ekpene
Road, Iboko Street, NEPA Line, and Abak Road.

They were later
stopped by a detachment of over 100 policemen deployed from the Police
Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, who arrived in two separate batches.

While one batch
reportedly pursued the demonstrators along the streets as they were
making their way back to the former minister’s campaign office, the
other batch was stationed outside the office.

The police admitted they shot several canisters of tear gas to help disperse the youth.