Nigeria Police lost 22 officers, 205; stations to #ENDSARS protests: NPF

By allcitynews.ng

The Nigeria Police Force has announced that it lost at least  22 of officers during the #ENDSARS protests nationwide.

The Force Headquarters in Abuja also disclosed that several other officers and men sustained life-threatening injuries.

Painfully, the Force also lost 205 police stations and formations to burning by the hoodlums.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, in a statement on Friday said that other critical private and public infrastructure were also damaged by hoodlums that took advantage of the protests to unleash terror.

According to Mba, in spite of all the provocations police officers never resorted to use of unlawful force or shooting at the protesters.

The statement denied a report by Amnesty International which said that protesters were shot at, insisting that police officers acted professionally, exercised commendable restraints while some paid the supreme price during the protests.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M. A. Adamu, has affirmed that officers of the Nigeria Police Force acted professionally, exercised commendable restraints and some paid the supreme price for peace during the recent protests and ensuing violence in some parts of the country,” the statement declared.

It said the “The IGP made this observation following report by Amnesty International dated 21st October, 2020 that Police personnel shot at peaceful protesters. He described the Amnesty Int’l report as untrue, misleading and contrary to all available empirical evidences.

“The IGP noted that during the protests, officers of the Force used legitimate means to ensure that the protests were carried out in a peaceful manner and in most cases, physically protected and walked side-by-side with the protesters.”

In addition, he read the message of the IGP noting “He reiterated that 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.

 “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.”

In the same vein, the IGP stressed that
“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.”

Lamenting the loss, he claimed thst “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 painful imagination that Amnesty International failed to mention or pay tribute to Police officers who were gruesomely murdered during the protests while serving their fatherland.

The Force decries the discriminatory tendencies exhibited by Amnesty International as seen in the report.”

Adamu said he wondered “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.

“The IGP, while noting that the Force is committed to the Federal Government’s ongoing holistic reforms of the NPF targeted at improving service delivery, positive police-citizen relationship and respect for human rights, enjoins Amnesty International to ensure they subject their reports to adequate scrutiny and proper verification of facts before making the reports public.”