Adams Oshiomhole, a senator representing the Edo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, believes that resisting demonstrators is a “uncomfortable responsibility” for the police.
“Is there somewhere in the world where you haven’t witnessed police resistance to protests? “It is an uncomfortable responsibility they must accept,” he stated on Channels Television’s The August Protests broadcast on Saturday.
“When I was leading workers when they tear-gassed us, we sometimes had the antidote; we threw the tear gas back.”
In response to incidents of police using tear gas on protesters in major Nigerian cities since Thursday, the former Edo governor stated that protests are not “a tea party” and that security forces may need to employ various methods to manage them.
“If the police believe there’s a risk of serious harm or potential loss of life, they might resort to using such methods. Protesting is a struggle; it’s not a tea party.”
He added, “I didn’t celebrate it, but I noticed that in one state, a police commissioner chose not to use tear gas but instead provided water to those peacefully protesting.”
As a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), he praised the police’s “civil” behavior during the #EndBadGovernance protests, noting that officers offered sachets of water to peaceful protesters in places like Lagos.
“It’s not just about the police’s current response; overall, under this Inspector General, the police have been quite civil,” he commented.
He criticized certain “amorphous groups” who rejected the results of the 2023 presidential election and joined protests against economic hardship and hunger. He emphasized that Nigeria is not under foreign occupation, so protesters cannot claim to “reclaim” the country.
“Some individuals are calling for a change in government. However, you cannot lawfully demand such a change because the Constitution prohibits making unlawful demands. Those who lost the election must wait until the next one, as per the Constitution. Attempting to bypass the system will lead to problems,” he concluded.