Police: Amnesty report on killing of #EndBadGovernance protesters misleading

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has claimed that its officers did not fire live ammunition at #EndBadGovernance protesters during the nationwide protest in August.

In a statement on Monday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said the Amnesty International report detailing how security operatives killed protesters is “unfounded, misleading, and inconsistent with incident reports”.

Adejobi said the police “operated in compliance with established rules of engagement” during the protest.

THE REPORT

In a recent report titled: ‘Bloody August: Nigerian government’s violent crackdown on #EndBadGovernance protests’, Amnesty International had said at least 24 protesters were killed during the protest.

The global human rights organisation said 1,200 protesters were arrested during the marches.

The organisation added that Nigerian authorities perpetrated “acts of torture and other ill-treatment against protesters”.

The protest against pervasive hardship in the country lasted for 10 days and turned violent in certain states — with police shooting teargas at demonstrators and journalists in Abuja, Lagos and Kaduna, among others.

There were also reported cases of looting and vandalism in some northern states.

‘WE’LL PROBE CLAIM’

Adejobi said Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, has ordered a “comprehensive investigation into the claims”.

“The force categorically refutes these allegations as unfounded, misleading, and inconsistent with incident reports submitted to the office of the inspector-general of police by affected commands,” the statement reads.

“The force wishes to reiterate that throughout the protests, it operated in compliance with established rules of engagement, including providing security for peaceful protesters.

“The inspector-general of police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, had issued clear directives to all Commissioners of Police on managing the protests, emphasizing that officers should not deploy arms to manage protests.

“Instead, arms were only to be used when protests escalated into riots involving loss of lives and damage to property.

“Even then, engagement with armed protesters was limited strictly to specialized armed units to restore order.”