SAN FRANCISCO, October 30, (THEWILL) – The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu has debunked accusations by Amnesty International that policemen shot at #EndSARS protesters. He described the report as untrue, misleading and contrary to all available ’empirical evidences’.
On the contrary, Adamu said 22 of his men “paid the ultimate price, maintaining utmost restraint” during the protests. He also disclosed that 205 police stations were torched by protesters nationwide.
A statement on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba said “officers of the Force used legitimate means to ensure that the protests were carried out in a peaceful manner.”
The statement added that in most cases, policemen physically protected and walked side-by-side with the protesters. “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”, it further said.
“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 begged imagination that Amnesty International failed to mention or pay tribute to Police officers who were gruesomely murdered during the protests while serving their fatherland”.
Adamu accused Amnesty of skirting the attacks on the police during the protests.
“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 said.
The IGP urged Amnesty International to ensure it subjects its reports to adequate scrutiny and proper verification of facts before making the reports public.
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