( CNN ) -- Police in Nigeria 's capital Tuesday made a U-turn , saying a ban on protests in support of the more than 200 girls kidnapped in April does not exist . The ban was issued one day earlier by Commissioner Joseph Mbu . `` The Police High Command wishes to inform the general public that the Force has not issued any order banning peaceful assemblies/protests anywhere in Nigeria , '' his office said in a statement . `` It notes however that against the backdrop of current security challenges in the country , coupled with a recent intelligence report of a likely infiltration and hijack of otherwise innocuous and peaceful protests by some criminal elements having links with insurgents , the Police only issued advisory notice , enjoining citizens to apply caution in the said rallies , particularly in the Federal Capital Territory and its environs , '' the statement read . On Monday , the commissioner said the proliferation of such protests was `` posing a serious security threat '' in the capital city of Abuja . `` Information reaching us is that too soon dangerous elements will join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosive ( s ) aimed at embarrassing the government . Accordingly protests on the Chibok Girls is hereby banned with immediate effect , '' his office said in its original statement . More than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped in northern Nigeria in April by Boko Haram , an act that drew international condemnation . The terror group abducted an estimated 276 girls on April 14 from a boarding school in Chibok . Dozens escaped , but more than 200 girls are still missing . Nigerians and others have accused their government of not acting swiftly or efficiently enough to protect the girls seized in the dead of night . Authorities ' apparent change of heart came after an outcry on the part of protesters . One group , # BringBackOurGirls , threatened legal action . `` Our Movement is legitimate and lawful and can not be arrested by the police whose responsibility is to enforce , not betray the law , '' it said in a statement . An adviser to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan sought to explain the apparent contradiction . `` This present administration has never , ever tried to violate anybody 's rights . We believe in human rights , we believe in citizens ' rights , '' Doyin Okupe told CNN 's Isha Sesay . `` The police command has come to further clear the statement . '' `` The ban that the commissioner of police in Abuja proclaimed is like asking people , look , before you go on a protest , you have to come to the police , to come and clear with the police and let us work together to ensure that nobody 's life is in danger , '' he said . Boko Haram translates as `` Western education is a sin '' in the Hausa language . The militant group says its aim is to impose a stricter enforcement of Sharia law across Nigeria , Africa 's most populous nation , which is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south . The military actually knows where the girls are , `` but as you will understand , you just can not storm a place like that , '' Okupe said . He added : `` I believe that by God 's grace , we are very near the end of this whole unfortunate saga . '' CNN 's Nana Karikari-apau , Salma Abdelaziz and journalist Aminu Abubakar contributed to this report .
The ban was on protests in support of more than 200 kidnapped girls . Police : Citizens should `` apply caution '' at such rallies . The schoolgirls were kidnapped from northern Nigeria in April .