JUST IN: “No Single Record Of Police Shooting Protesters,” Says Inspector-General Egbetokun

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun denied allegations of police using live ammunition against peaceful protesters during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance demonstrations. Despite widespread video and photographic evidence circulating on social media, the IGP made his remarks on Tuesday at a joint security press briefing in Abuja.

The press briefing, which included representatives from the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Navy, Customs Service, Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Department of State Services, saw Egbetokun addressing these allegations directly. He categorically dismissed reports of police brutality and the use of excessive force.

Recently, video of a Divisional Police Officer in Kano State threatening to use lethal force against protesters went viral.  The officer, stationed at the Rijiyar Lemo Police Division, was recorded warning demonstrators of potential deadly consequences if his personnel were harmed.

Furthermore, Amnesty International Nigeria reported that 13 protesters had been killed during the #EndBadGovernance protests. According to their statement on X (formerly Twitter), six were killed in Suleja, four in Maiduguri, and three in Kaduna State over the ten days of protests.

Additionally, the first day of protests saw at least 12 journalists and media professionals subjected to police brutality or attacks from alleged government-sponsored hoodlums.

During the press briefing, Egbetokun refuted these claims, asserting, “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 was an attack on security agents during the protest.”

He further claimed, “From our record, there was no shooting incident by the police. The police or the military did not use any live ammunition in the management of this protest. Instead, we have had cases where our officers were injured critically and they are still in critical condition in the hospital as we speak.”

Regarding reports of a teenage boy allegedly shot dead by police in the Kubwa area of Abuja, Egbetokun stated, “I saw the video and I ordered an investigation into that immediately. The eyewitness said that they saw a group of people, a team dressed in black and black police uniform, I said that that will not be from us; because throughout the protest, our dress order is the cameo.”

Egbetokun concluded that any individuals dressed in regular black police uniforms could not be legitimate officers, hinting at the possibility of impersonators or other malign actors being responsible for the violence.