From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Police officers from Edo State Command, on Monday, stopped a peaceful rally of women, organised by Godsent foundation in calling for more support for the needy in Benin City citing the EndSARS protest experiences.
Participants at the rally tagged ‘Our mama must chop rally’ where held up in front of Oba Palace while trying to submit letter to the Benin monarch in support of their plights In ensuring that every persons especially the women have food on their tables.
According to 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 quest for making sure we have a better Edo State.
“The state government is aware of our rally today, we also wrote to the police but we are surprise that they are saying we cannot do this rally.
“They have ordered us to return back to our office and bring the rally to an end.
Addressing the beneficiaries of the foundation, ACP Anche Joseph said the command do not have any choice rather than to stop the rally owning to the present security challenge bedeviling the country which Edo as a state is not left out.
” We have receive security report that any rally or protect may be hijack by hoodlums. You saw how EndSARS started.
“My advise is that they wait for the command to give approval so that we can also deploy security personnel along with them.
The participants where however accompanied by the police officers to the NGO office where they were instructed not to leave the vicinity but can send letters to the offices or points earlier earmark for visitation during the rally.