Rivers Mothers Join #endsars, Wike Says ‘No Probe Panel’

Mothers in Rivers state, under the auspices of Concerned Mothers in Rivers State, Monday, staged a special mothers’ version of the #endsars protest, marching through major streets of Port Harcourt, through the State House of Assembly Complex and terminating at the Government House where they were received by the state deputy governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo.

This was as the state governor, Nyesom Wike, stated that he would not set up the commission of inquiry into police brutality as was recommended by the federal government in its response to the demands of the #endsars protesters.


The women were led by some prominent women leaders in the state such as veteran actress Hilda Dokubo, rights activist Ann-Kio Briggs, Mrs Ivy Davies Etokakpan, among others.

At the State House of Assembly Complex, the women were locked out without any member of the assembly on hang to receive them and this gravely enraged the women.

They were, however, received at the Government House, by the deputy governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, a mother, too.

Speaking on behalf of the “Concerned Mothers in Rivers State”, Etokakpan said the protest was to lend their voices to end police brutality in the country.

She noted that, within the last two weeks, mothers in the state had heard gruesome stories of police brutality on young people and called on the police in the state to carry out their duties in line with international best practices.



Also speaking, Nollywood Actress, Hilda Dokubo, said the protest which was devoid of ethnic, religious and political affiliation, was against the system of governance in the country.

She advocated an end to institutionalised injustice, inequality and lack of development and called for a new Constitution that would guarantee freedom, access to good roads, quality education and healthcare.

Governor Wike, in response to the federal government recommendation that state governments set up panels to probe complaints of brutality and other abuses, explained that he had earlier set up a commission of inquiry into the activities of SARS in Rivers state and regretted that police authorities refused to implement the findings.

The governor, through Banigo, restated his call for the total reform of the Nigeria Police Force.

He recalled that Rivers state was the first to raise an alarm in 2015 over the negative activities of SARS, saying the federal government refused to respond appropriately.

The governor emphasised that it was only through total reform of the police that the injustice meted to innocent citizens of the country could stop.

He said; “As a government, we feel your pains and this injustice must surely stop. To tell you the level of impunity, some SARS officers that were even caught on camera killing people were even promoted.

“I want to thank you for the peaceful way you have conducted yourselves and assure you that we shall work together,” he stated.

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