In a strong statement, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has expressed his disapproval of the recent incidents of looting, property destruction, and attempts to seize government buildings during Thursday’s protests.
Addressing the nation, Egbetokun highlighted the extensive damage in several states including Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, FCT Abuja, Niger, and Jigawa.
During a live broadcast, Egbetokun also reported widespread looting of warehouses and shops, along with cases of vandalism.
He remarked, “It is unfortunate that some major cities saw not peaceful protests, but mass looting and unrest. The instigators of these actions were conspicuously absent when the chaos unfolded. Innocent Nigerians have suffered at the hands of unruly individuals, with their businesses and property being ransacked and destroyed.”
“The rioters had two objectives: to pillage and vandalize private and public property. The scale of destruction witnessed so far is staggering. From Kano to Borno, Yobe to Kaduna, Gombe to Bauchi, FCT Abuja to Niger and Jigawa, the devastation is immense. Police stations have been razed, government buildings were under threat, and there has been widespread looting and destruction of both public and private assets.”
He has issued a directive for all police units to be on high alert to safeguard public safety.
Egbetokun declared, “Given the current circumstances, the Nigeria Police Force has raised the alert level for all units. Our officers are on standby, ready to act promptly and firmly to maintain public safety and order.”
The IG explained that the red bands worn by officers indicate their heightened vigilance.
He added, “The red bands signal our state of heightened alertness. Those making claims of not receiving court orders need to understand the challenges of serving faceless individuals. The threats were issued on social media and therefore communicated via the same platform.”
Egbetokun emphasized that despite the breach of court orders by protesters, the police did not violate their constitutional rights.
He stated, “Despite protesters in the FCT disregarding a court directive to hold their demonstration at the National Stadium in Abuja and taking to the streets instead, we provided security for them. We respected their fundamental rights even as they defied court orders.
“In locations like FCT, Kaduna, Kano, and Gombe, there were unprovoked attacks on security personnel, resulting in the tragic loss of one officer’s life and injuries to others.”