Rivers governor, Nyesome Wike, has placed a ban on all protest that is in line with the #EndSARS protest in the state. The governor, through the state commissioner for information, Paulinus Nsirim, made this announcement on social media, Monday 12th, October 2020. The ban restricts state residents from participating in any form of street protests or public display of solidarity to the call against police brutality and injustices by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the police at large.

According to the statement, the Police Inspector-General, Mohammed Adamu, had already placed a ban on the unit; hence, it made no sense for Nigerians to keep raising their voices over a unit that doesn’t exist. Wike went further to state that laws have been created in the state for any violators of the order.

Here are a few reactions to the announcement:

Dear governor, you don't own Rivers or Nigeria. Protest is part of democracy and a constitutional right. Your call on security agencies to enforce your nonsense ban on #SARSMUSTEND protest is only an invitation to anarchy that you'll answer for if protesters' rights are violated

— #SARSMustEnd (@iamJimmyGentle) October 13, 2020

The Nigerian constitution that enshrines everyone’s right to peaceful protest is bigger than any governor ! You fail your people by putting up this stupid ban !
Stop being a tyrant

— #EndSARS (@JamesLantern2) October 13, 2020

And it's a peaceful protest.

— ꪊꪀᥴꪶꫀ ꪀꪮꪀᦓꪮ ꪮᠻ ꠸ᧁ᥇ꪮꪶꪖꪀᦔ ???? (@iamnonso__) October 12, 2020

@GovWike you said you've banned #SARSMUSTEND protests in Rivers State (never mind that you don't have the power to do so by law) but this is happening in your State. Please, leave us to fight for our rights since you can't help us.

— PSMichael (@PSMichael5) October 13, 2020

Buhari and Amaechi are the reason many people support you. You’re actually a TYRANT!

Little Hitler, you don’t have the constitutional power to stop people from protesting. Not on your life!

— Henry Shield (@henryshield) October 13, 2020

Rivers State residents, however, have stated that they are not backing out in the protest as many have countered the governor’s directives and have stated via social media that the protest must go on. A few Twitter users pointed out that the governor has failed his people with the order.

However you decide to see it, Wike’s executive order is a direction towards dictatorship. Fundamentally, Nigerians have the right to protest peacefully on issues that concern them as they have done with the #EndSARS protest, stretching for over a week. Though the menace perpetrated by SARS affects mostly the youths, their outcry and the demonstration that has saliently garnered international interest is quite valid.

It is now becoming quite worrisome to remind leaders of the fundamental rights of their citizens. While they may have executive power, the rights of their citizens should come first and dishing out orders that threaten those rights should be frowned upon.