Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian Police Force has released official report of the number of arrests made so far at the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
As contained in a statement issued on the X handle, 681 protesters were arrested within the first two days of the protest.
The arrest, according to the Police, were made on account of various criminal offences committed by the culprits.
While disclosing the recovery of stolen items, dangerous weapons and ammunition were also reportedly recovered in course of the arrest.
The statement read in part; “In an effort to combat the trend of crimes and criminality, the police have arrested a total of six hundred and eighty-one (681) individuals who committed various criminal offenses such as armed robbery, arson, mischief, and destructions of both public and private property.
“Dangerous weapons, including two (2) 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.”
However, the Police Force debunked report by Amnesty International which claimed 13 individuals were killed over the two days of protest.
The Police Force stated that only seven deaths were recorded and were not orchestrated by members of the Force.
“The Nigeria Police Force finds it necessary to refute a recent report publicized by Amnesty International, which claims that thirteen (13) individuals have lost their lives due to the protests in Nigeria that began on 1st August 2024.
“Amnesty International further alleges that security personnel deliberately employed tactics designed to kill while managing gatherings and used firearms as a tactical tool for protest management.”
“The Nigeria Police Force wishes to provide an accurate account of incidents from the first two (2) days of the nationwide protests. In Borno State, four (4) individuals lost their lives and thirty-four (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 (2) 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 mobilized 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 (7).” The statement read further
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Muyiwa Adejobi, urged the protesters to withdraw from the protest, stressing that it has become violent.
“The ongoing protest has obviously turned violent. We therefore advise law abiding citizens taking part in the protest across the country to immediately withdraw from it.
“This advice becomes necessary in view of the violence that has characterized the protest in the last 2 days. It is reasonably expected that Peaceful protesters would have withdrawn from the protest that has turned violent.” He wrote