Despite At Least 12 Deaths, IGP Claims Police Were Civil During Protests

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has claimed that the Nigeria Police Force acted civilly during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests. The protests, which started on Thursday, had reports of at least eleven fatalities linked to police actions.

In a press briefing following the protests, Egbetokun stated,

“The police appeared overwhelmed, we were not overwhelmed, we have our standby units everywhere. We prepared for this, we were only civil. The fact that we were civil does not mean that we were weak. We were only civil because we were expecting them to be peaceful.”

The protests erupted across Nigeria as citizens voiced their frustrations over economic hardship, hunger, and corruption. However, the situation quickly escalated as security operatives deployed teargas on protesters. Witnesses in Kano reported that police were responsible for three deaths, while security forces in Suleja opened fire on a crowd, killing six protesters. In Borno State, four protesters were killed by soldiers using live ammunition.

Despite these tragic events, the IGP maintained that the police were only responding to threats posed by protesters, who they claimed were looting and attacking others. However, many citizens and observers view the police’s violent response as an attempt to suppress a legitimate human right rather than restore order.

Read More:

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