The Nigeria Police has said that seven people were killed while a total of 681 persons were arrested during the first two days of protest against bad governance contrary to unconfirmed figures released by Amnesty International.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi in a statement issued Saturday said the police found it necessary to refute a recent report published by Amnesty International, which claims that 13 individuals have lost their lives due to the protests that began on 1st August 2024.
The police stressed that Amnesty International further alleged that security personnel deliberately employed tactics designed to kill while managing gatherings and used firearms as a tactical tool for protest management.
Adejobi noted: “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to provide an accurate account of incidents from the first two days of the nationwide protests.
“In Borno State, four individuals lost their lives and 34 were severely injured in a terrorist attack by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP elements who infiltrated the crowd of protesters and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
“Additionally, an incident occurred involving an unregistered Honda Prelude car that ran into the protesters, resulting in the deaths of two civilians.
“The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene. Although the vehicle was vandalized after the incident, it has been recovered and is currently in police custody. Efforts are ongoing to trace the driver and bring him to justice.
“There was another incident reported in Yauri, in Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi State where a group of individuals mobilised to loot a shop. In the process, a local vigilante man shot and killed one of the looters. The Commissioner of Police in charge of Kebbi State is currently investigating the incident. This brings the total number of deaths recorded during the protests to seven.”
Adejobi stressed that it was important to state that there were no other recorded fatalities during the protests apart from those mentioned above.
However, he added that incidences of armed robbery, arson, mischief, looting of public institutions and private businesses, destructions of both public and private property were recorded during the protest.
He said arrests were made with respect to these criminal incidences and a number of recoveries made from the suspects while the protest was going on.
Adejobi maintained that the Nigeria Police personnel deployed to manage the protests have acted professionally, refraining from using lethal weapons.
He explained that in instances where protesters became riotous, the police employed teargas to disperse them.
Adejobi said: “Even when our officers on lawful duty were attacked and injured, the police effected arrests using only teargas, demonstrating utmost restraint.
“In an effort to combat the trend of crimes and criminality, the police have arrested a total of 681 individuals who committed various criminal offenses such as armed robbery, arson, mischief, and destruction of both public and private property.
“Dangerous weapons, including two AK-47 rifles and assorted live ammunition, were recovered from the so-called protesters. Additionally, stolen items such as furniture, electronics, phones, other various shop items, and vital infrastructures worth billions of naira were recovered from the arrested persons.
“Contrary to circulating news, organisers of the protest or protesters were not arrested. Those in police custody are under investigation for clear connections to criminal activities.”
Adejobi revealed that nine police officers sustained various degrees of injuries during attacks by protesters, adding that one of them who initially was reported dead, miraculously survived but remains in critical condition.
He said the ongoing protest has obviously turned violent and therefore advised law abiding citizens taking part in the protest across the country to immediately withdraw from it.
The police noted that this advice becomes necessary in view of the violence that has characterised the protest in the last two days.