The Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police Force, Kayode Egbetokun, has refuted claims that the police and other security agencies deployed excessive force against #EndBadGovernance protesters as circulated.
In a meeting of security agency heads on Tuesday in Abuja, the IGP stated that although the deployed security personnel faced attacks during the protests, live ammunition wasn’t used.
According to him, the police, military and other security forces adhered to protocols directed at safeguarding both protesters and officers.
“The police and the military, indeed no other security agency involved in the management of this protest has deployed excessive use of force. Instead, what we had were attacks on security agents during the protest. From our record, there were no shooting incidents by the police.
“The police or military did not use any live ammunition in the management of these protests. Instead, we have had cases where our officers were injured and are in critical condition as we speak.
“I will dismiss that as fake news and very wrong allegations. We didn’t use excessive force at all. We didn’t even deploy the whole of our strength in this protest even when it turned violent. We have water cannons we did not deploy, we have rubber bullets, we didn’t use. All that we have used in the management of this protest is teargas and nothing more.” He said.
saharandaily