JUST IN: Tension in Port Harcourt as armed thugs beat up protesters, harass journalists

There was apprehension in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Wednesday morning as armed thugs attacked peaceful demonstrators during the #EndBadGovernance protest.

Politics Nigeria reports that armed thugs positioned themselves directly opposite the Federal Secretariat in Port Harcourt, intimidating and chasing away protesters.

Eyewitnesses say two protesters were beaten while police officers stood by and did nothing.

A ChannelsTV correspondent was also surrounded and threatened by the thugs, who stated they were there to ensure no protest takes place.

The Federal Secretariat on the Port Harcourt /Aba express road has been a gathering point for the protesters for the past seven days of the hunger and end bad governance protest.

The inaction of over 20 police officers, who witnessed these events but did nothing calls to question the security and the protection of the right to protest in Rivers State.

When contacted, the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Olatunji Disu expressed concern over the incident, promising a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and prevent future occurrences.

It would be recalled that Rivers State  Commissioner of Police who visited the protest sites severally in the past days, promised to ensure that his men remained professional as well ensure peace and orderliness.

Disu at some point had offered light refreshment to the peaceful  protesters in Port Harcourt, as his way of thanking them for remaining peaceful and law abiding .

Wednesday makes it Day 7 of the nationwide protest which later turned violent in some Northern states of the federation.

Earlier, the police in River said men of the command have been instructed to arrest and prosecute those guilty of causing violence during the protest.

The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.