#ENDSARS: POLICE PERSONNEL WERE PROFESSIONAL AND EXERCISED MAXIMUM RESTRAINTS - IGP TELLS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has said that men of the Nigeria Police Force acted professionally, and exercised commendable restraints during the recent #ENDSARS protests in the country.
He made this known in a statement on Friday, October 30.
The IGP made this affirmation following report by Amnesty International dated October 21, that Police personnel shot at peaceful protesters.
The Police Chief described the Amnesty Int’l report as untrue, misleading and contrary to all available empirical evidences.
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.
Adamu revealed 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.
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“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,” the IGP said.
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The IGP admonished the Amnesty International to ensure they subject their reports to adequate scrutiny and proper verification of facts before making the reports public.
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