Alleged attack on October 1 protesters false – Police
*Peaceful protest is constitutional rights of citizens - NHRC
The Nigerian Police Force has denied allegations of attack on October 1 protesters in Abuja.
It asserted that its officers only took proactive measures to prevent looting during the protest.
In a statement released by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, SP Josephine Adeh, on Tuesday October 1, 2024, the nation’s foremost security agency addressed the circulating reports that suggested officers had clashed with protesters at the Utako Market, a key protest site.
The statement stressed that such claims were false and misleading, aimed at distorting the facts of the incident.
“The command wishes to categorically debunk the narrative, tagging it completely false and misleading,” SP Adeh said.
“At no point did our officers attack peaceful protesters. Instead, our intervention was in response to intelligence reports indicating that certain miscreants were attempting to use the protest as cover to loot shops and engage in criminal activities,” she said.
According to the police, their primary concern during the October 1 protest, which was held under the banner of #FearlessInOctober, was ensuring the safety of both the protesters and the local businesses in the area. The intelligence received suggested that some groups were planning to exploit the protest, potentially causing chaos and financial loss to shop owners in the busy Utako market.
“As a responsible agency, we could not stand by and allow traders to be robbed of their hard-earned money and belongings without intervening. Our duty is to protect the lives and property of all citizens, whether they are protesters or business owners,” the statement continued.
SP Adeh explained that the police took “measures to forestall” the actions of the miscreants, not to suppress or intimidate peaceful demonstrators.
She emphasized that law enforcement acted swiftly to disperse individuals believed to be preparing to engage in looting, thereby preventing a potential escalation of violence.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had on Monday warned the police and other security agencies in Nigeria against righrs violation of October 1 protesters.
It said peaceful protest is constitutional rights of citizens.
