The Nigeria Police has said its officers were professional and maintained maximum restraints in handling the #EndSARS protests and its aftermath as it faulted the report of Amnesty International.
Amnesty International, a non-governmental organization with its headquarters in the United Kingdom, had reported that police personnel shot at peaceful protesters and did not exercise restraints during the protest which later resulted into loss of lives and properties. Series of video and photo evidence were also presented from different quarters on the incident.
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, however said the report of the organisation were ”untrue, misleading and contrary to all available empirical evidences” but police officers were the ones murdered extra-judicially by some rampaging protesters.
The IGP’s position was contained in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba.
The statement said, ”The IGP noted that during the protests, officers of the Force used legitimate means to ensure that the protests were carried out in a peaceful manner and in most cases, physically protected and walked side-by-side with the protesters. He reiterated that even when the protests turned violent in some parts of the country, the officers still maintained utmost restraint and did not use excessive force in managing the situations.
”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. 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 Force decries the discriminatory tendencies exhibited by Amnesty International as seen in the report. 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.”
Adamu, according to the police spokesman, has therefore urged Amnesty International to scrutinize and verify facts before making them public.