The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has dismissed allegations that its officers fired live rounds at protesters during Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanu demonstration in Abuja.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the Force Public Relations Officer, made this clarification during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.
He explained that officers only deployed teargas to disperse demonstrators who tried to gain access to areas restricted by a court order.
“I can say it authoritatively that no live ammunition was fired today. Not a single live ammunition,” Hundeyin said.
“It is easy for people who are not familiar with the sound to mistake the firing of teargas for live ammunition. It makes the same popping, explosion-like sound. I can say it on good authority that no live ammunition was shot.”
Hundeyin noted that the decision to use teargas came only after protesters ignored repeated warnings and attempted to move into prohibited zones.
“We made it clear that we were going to enforce this court order. We gave enough warning to these people to step back and not go beyond where they were, but they were adamant and they were approaching these areas,” he said.
He added that the operatives acted strictly in accordance with standard procedures aimed at maintaining public safety.
“We just conformed to standard operating procedures and we decided to use minimal force — force that is commensurate with the resistance we were getting,” he stated.
Earlier in the day, police fired teargas canisters around the Central Business District of Abuja, where activists had gathered to begin the protest. Some commuters waiting for vehicles to their workplaces were reportedly affected, while eight protesters were arrested on the first day of the demonstration.
The protest was led by Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021. He continues to face trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.