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Says Police were professional, showed maximum restrained
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Dismisses as untrue reported shooting of peaceful protesters
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad A. Adamu, says despite some personnel paying the supreme price for peace in the country, officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) acted professionally and exercised commendable restraints during the recent #EndSARS protests
IGP Adamu described Amnesty International reports on the ensuing violence in some parts of the country as “untrue, misleading and contrary to all available empirical evidences.”
The IGP was reacting to reports by Amnesty International dated October 21, 2020 claiming that Police personnel shot at peaceful protesters.
He maintained that Police officers used legitimate means to ensure the protests were carried out in a peaceful manner and in most cases, physically protected and walked side-by-side with the protesters.
According to him, even when the protests turned violent in some states, Police personnel still maintained utmost restraint and did not use excessive force in managing the situations.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, quoted the IGP as saying; “Available reports show that twenty-two (22) police personnel were extra-judicially killed by some rampaging protesters and scores injured during the protests. Many of the injured personnel are in life threatening conditions at the hospitals.
“Two hundred and five (205) Police stations and formations including other critical private and public infrastructure were also damaged by a section of the protesters.”
The statement further said that; “Despite these unprovoked attacks, our police officers never resorted to use of unlawful force or shooting at the protesters as alleged in the report.
“It also beggars imagination that Amnesty International failed to mention or pay tribute to Police officers who were gruesomely murdered during the protests while serving their fatherland.”
The Police boss condemned “the discriminatory tendencies exhibited by Amnesty International as seen in the report”, saying; “One wonders if in the estimation of Amnesty International, police officers are not also human beings equally entitled to the protection of their fundamental rights to life and dignity of human person.”
He expressed the Force commitment to the “Federal Government’s ongoing holistic reforms of the NPF targeted at improving service delivery, positive police-citizen relationship and respect for human rights.”
IGP Adamu however challenged Amnesty International to always subject their reports to adequate scrutiny and proper verification of facts before making them public for equity and fair judgment.
