Claim: According to a press briefing by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, it was stated that security agencies did not employ live ammunition during the management of the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Egbetokun emphasized, “There was no deployment of live ammunition by the police or military in handling these protests. We have had instances where our officers sustained critical injuries during the events. Any claims of excessive force are untrue and baseless. We exercised restraint even when faced with violence. We held back resources like water cannons and rubber bullets, sticking to the use of teargas alone.”
Investigation:
The #EndBadGovernance protest commenced nationwide last Thursday, with citizens demonstrating against the existing economic challenges. While these protests initiated peacefully in many areas, some regions experienced a shift towards violence.
Reports emerged of violent incidents involving security personnel, notably the police, by the time Egbetokun addressed the situation. Media coverage indicated initial death tolls ranging from 10 to 17 on the first day of protests (Thursday). Amnesty International corroborated these accounts with 13 confirmed fatalities, which later escalated to 21. These casualties occurred in various states such as Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna, and Jigawa. The police acknowledged seven deaths, attributing them to suicide bombings, accidents, and vigilante actions.
NewsNow reported specific details including one fatality in Kano, two in Jigawa, six in Niger, four in Borno, and three in Kaduna.
Daily Trust mentioned the death of four teenagers and a prospective bride due to security operations in Kano and Zaria from Thursday to the day of Egbetokun’s speech.
Sources highlighted individual tragedies like the case of Firdausi Muhammad, a bride-to-be killed by a stray police bullet in Rijiyar Lemo, Kano. The loss of Kashifu Gyaranya, a 15-year-old protester in Kano, and Isma’il Muhammad, an 18-year-old fatally shot by a patrolling soldier in Samaru, Zaria, further underscored the escalation of violence.
NewsNow also documented incidents involving security forces shooting at demonstrators and journalists near the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, targeting both vehicles and individuals.
The Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room condemned these actions and reported fatal shootings of protesters in various regions, including Kaduna and Suleja, Niger State.
Accountability:
Despite mounting evidence and casualties, law enforcement agencies, especially the police, continued to deny any complicity. However, the military took responsibility for the killing of Muhammed and announced the arrest of the involved soldier.
Criminology expert Sigismund Akinbulumo criticized the handling of the situation, highlighting the unprofessionalism of admitting live ammunition use by security personnel and drawing attention to instances of police brutality, such as unnecessary tear gas deployment.