Reports that its officers shot demonstrators with live ammunition at Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in Abuja have been refuted by the Nigeria Police Force.
A sizable audience demanded the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), at the demonstration organized by politician and human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore and other supporters of Kanu.
Sowore claimed that security personnel, including the police and army, used tear gas and live gunfire to scatter peaceful protesters in the midst of viral footage that showed them running away in thick smoke and loud popping noises. According to reports, a number of people were arrested, including lawyers and journalists.
Force Headquarters, however, rejected the claims as untrue and deceptive. ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Force Public Relations Officer, stated in a statement on Monday that the operation did not involve the use of live ammunition.
“The police never shot any protesters with live gunfire. “Those who tried to enter restricted areas were dispersed by the sounds of tear gas canisters,” Hundeyin claimed.
After demonstrators disregarded warnings and attempted to enter restricted areas around the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, and Eagle Square, he clarified that the police had acted legally and in accordance with routine operating procedures, using only a small amount of force to keep the peace.
The operation, according to Hundeyin, was directed by a legitimate court order that was acquired last week that limited protests in particular regions, which the police referred to as “critical national infrastructure.”
“We have a responsibility to safeguard people and property. “Our officers only enforced the court order, which clearly prohibited gatherings within sensitive zones of the Federal Capital Territory,” he continued.
However, the protest’s organizers have charged that the police used excessive force. In a social media message, Sowore said that nonviolent protestors were subjected to both live ammunition and tear gas, calling the incident “a gross violation of fundamental rights.”
They assaulted defenseless civilians who were merely using their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of assembly and expression. We’re not going to be intimidated,” Sowore declared.
A number of protests, like the #FreeNnamdiKanu event, were recently organized to put pressure on the federal government to abide by court judgments that granted the IPOB leader bail.
In light of rising concerns about Nigeria’s handling of public protests, human rights observers have demanded an impartial investigation of the actions of security forces during the demonstration.
