IGP Reverses #BringBackOurGirls Ban After Nigerian Tweet-Attack Abuja Police Boss

They effectively galvanized the Nigerian government into action with the #BringBackOurGirls campaign which became a worldwide action drive.

The protest was however dramatically banned and unbanned within the space of 24 hours by the police.

On Monday, Federal Capital Territory Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu, announced a total ban #BringBackOurGirls protest at a news conference, alleging plans by Boko Haram agents to bomb the protesters.

““Information reaching us is that too soon, dangerous elements will join groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosives aimed at embarrassing the government.”

“Protests on the Chibok girls are hereby banned with immediate effect,” he told a stunned audience

Angered, Nigerians took to the social media to protest what they called an infringement of their fundamental human rights.

In the social media war that followed, CP Mbu was vilified and called many unprintable names, with only a very few people speaking in support of the ban.

Like many, popular social media activist, @omojuwa posted a strongly worded tweet to show his displeasure.

"CP Mbu is the sort that'd plant a bomb at the protest ground just to say "I told you so!"," Omojuwa wrote.

One angry Nigerian, Nelson Ekujumi, posted a series of angry-tweets after the ban.

"The powers to make laws for the federal capital territory Abuja rest with the legislature, the National assembly and not Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu

"Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu cannot deny the Nigerian people the right to assemble in any part of the country which is a constitutional right," ‏@nekujumi posted.

Realwan Okpanachi was quick to note Mbu's involvement in the political drama that nearly tore Rivers state apart recently.

"Mbu again. When is this Police officer going to learn?. Somebody please tell him that wat we hav is more of democracy than military regime," ‏@realwan said.

Another Nigerian twitterzen, Victor (Owo ‏@owo747(, mocked the CP in his tweet:

"Mbu reads the minds of terrorists by stopping a peaceful protest,his mind reading didn't stop Nyanya x2. What a great Einstein you are."

For people like Yourmight (‏@yomie_h), the Abuja police boss was being used by the Presidency.

"CP Mbu is showing us again that he's a tools in the hand of presidency to destabilize our hard earn democracy," ‏@yomie_h wrote.

The pressure mounted must have reached the right quarters as the ban has been lifted this afternoon.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohamed Abubakar, announced the reversal the ban, through the Force spokesman, CSP Frank Mba, at a press conference in Abuja.

Mba said the police only advised the protesters based on security concerns.

"The Police did not ban peaceful rallies,” he said.

So effectively, Nigerians were able to upturn what CP Mbu called a “nuisance to the government” into a “peaceful protest” as agreed by Mba.

Do you think the power of the social media had a role to play in this?