By Joe Udo
The Nigeria Police Force is reportedly planning to charge Delta State-based activist, Comrade Israel Joe with terrorism for protesting against the hardship spiralling the country.
Converseer learned that Joe was arrested by soldiers on Friday at the venue of a protest organised against the economic hardship in the country.
According to SaharaReporters, he was subsequently handed over to the police who are planning to charge him with terrorism, after accusing him of being behind a protest against hardship and the high cost of living in the state.
Recall that a group in the state had set aside Friday, 23 February 2024, to protest against the biting hardship and rising inflation in the country following President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.
The protest was scheduled to begin at 7am at DSC Roundabout in Warri but security teams arrived at the venue early to intimidate the residents.
SaharaReporters also reports that security had also been beefed up around Effurun Roundabout and Enerhen Junction in Warri.
The paper on Thursday reported that the police had invited the Delta-based activist Israel Joe over the planned protest.
The state police command in a letter obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday summoned Israel to the State Headquarters, Okpanam Road in Asaba.
The Command in the letter signed by CSP Ya’u Musa Kangiwa asked the activist to come along with at least two other executives of his team on Thursday.
The letter read in part, “I am directed by the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command to invite you for a meeting. You are to come along with at least two (2) of your Exco. The Meeting is slated to hold as follows:
“On arrival, you are to contact ASP OMOKENI GREEN, the Station Officer, State Intelligence Department, to facilitate the said meeting. Your attendance in persons will be highly appreciated.
“Accept, as always, the assurances of the Commissioner of Police’s esteemed regards, please,” the statement added.
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However, after the meeting with the police in Asaba on Thursday, Israel told SaharaReporters that the Deputy Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the state also met with him.
He said, “After meeting with the Nigerian Police on Thursday, I also honoured the DSS invitation. They do not want the protest, they said people are angry already, and that the protest can trigger insecurity in the state.
“I told them that I’m just a person, that I cannot stop the protest planner by the multitude, but told them that the protest was planned to be violence-free.”
Meanwhile, soldiers from the Nigerian Army 3 Battalion in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, in the early hours Friday arrested Israel at the venue and took him away.
A source told SaharaReporters that the soldiers handed him over to police in Ekpan Station where they are planning to charge him for terrorism.
The source said, “The soldiers took him to Ekpan and handed him over to police there. Right now, Israel is in their custody.
“The police are planning to charge him for terrorism for instigating a protest.”