Police Confirm Eight Arrests After Uyo Political March as Tear-Gas Accounts Conflict
Police in Akwa Ibom State have confirmed the arrest of eight people after stopping an Independence Day political march in Uyo, while witnesses and the police continue to give conflicting accounts of whether tear gas was used during the intervention.
The October 1 march involved supporters of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement.
Akwa Ibom Police said the eight people were arrested for allegedly engaging in acts capable of breaching public peace and for allegedly disregarding security directives.
No court has determined culpability.
October 2 update: movement says Ben Smith was also detained
Separately, movement representatives said Dr Ben Smith, the Akwa Ibom State coordinator of the Obidient Movement, was later detained after going with other supporters to seek the release of those arrested earlier.
Reports quoting Esther Umoh, a media aide to Peter Obi, say Smith was taken into custody at Ikot Akpan Abia.
IDNN has not located direct police confirmation of Smith’s reported detention in the current-source review.
His reported detention is therefore being treated as an attributed claim and is not being added to the police-confirmed total of eight arrests.
Police cite security concerns
Commissioner of Police Baba Azare said the command stopped political activities scheduled for October 1 because of what police described as credible intelligence that some individuals could exploit gatherings to cause disturbances.
Police also cited overlapping political activities and concerns about maintaining public order.
The command said earlier approvals for political rallies, meetings and processions scheduled for October 1 were directed to be rescheduled.
That is the police justification for the intervention.
Eight arrests confirmed
Police said eight people were arrested following the attempted march.
Among those detained was Elijah Noah, identified as the Akwa Ibom coordinator of the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement.
The command said those arrested were assisting investigations and could face prosecution if sufficient grounds were established.
Arrest does not establish guilt.
Witnesses and police dispute tear-gas use
Witnesses told Premium Times that police fired tear gas while dispersing supporters along Edet Akpan Avenue.
Police deny using tear gas.
The command also said no firearm was discharged and no gunshot injury was recorded.
Those positions remain in conflict.
IDNN has not independently established whether tear gas was used.
Organisers criticise intervention
Movement representatives and opposition figures have criticised the police action and argued that participants were engaged in peaceful political expression.
Some have also accused the ruling APC of being behind the disruption.
No evidence located in the current-source review establishes that the APC directed the police intervention.
That allegation therefore remains a partisan claim and is not adopted by IDNN.
Rights and security questions remain
The dispute raises two sets of public-interest questions.
Police must explain the specific security basis for stopping the march, the evidential basis for the arrests and what legal process will follow.
Organisers, meanwhile, must account for whether they proceeded after being directed to reschedule and whether all participants complied with lawful security instructions.
The unresolved use-of-force question also remains material:
Was tear gas used, and what evidence can independently establish what happened during the dispersal?
Until stronger evidence or court proceedings establish more, the safest position remains:
Akwa Ibom Police confirm eight arrests after stopping the October 1 political march in Uyo; witnesses and police disagree over tear-gas use, and a later reported detention of Dr Ben Smith has not been directly confirmed by police.
