Tension flared in Port Harcourt on Monday morning as officers of the Rivers State Police Command fired teargas at demonstrators from the ‘Take It Back Movement’ during a planned protest at Isaac Boro Park.
The protesters, who arrived at the venue by 9:00 a.m., were met by a heavy police presence. Witnesses say officers warned the group not to hold the protest, but the activists stood their ground, insisting on their right to assemble.
“Nobody can tell us where not to gather. We are Rivers people,” one protester declared, confronting the police cordon.
Moments later, the standoff escalated, with officers deploying teargas to disperse the crowd. The number of injuries or arrests remains unclear as of the time of filing this report.
The demonstration is part of a wider movement opposing political interference and alleged plans to impose emergency rule in Rivers State.
More details to follow as the story develops.