On Saturday, the police retracted its earlier statement claiming that one of its officers had been murdered during the start of the nationwide hunger protests on Thursday.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun had asserted during a briefing that the officer was killed while on duty amid the protests.
During the Thursday briefing, Egbetokun had voiced his concerns, describing the situation in major cities as “mass uprisings and looting, not protests.” He highlighted incidents of “unprovoked attacks on security personnel, noting that one policeman had been killed and others seriously injured.
“In light of ongoing events, the Nigeria Police Force has placed all units on high alert.
“Our officers are fully mobilised and ready to respond swiftly and decisively to ensure public safety and order,” he emphasized.
However, during an update on police engagements, Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi stated, “Nine police officers sustained various degrees of injuries during assaults by protesters. One officer, who was initially reported dead, miraculously survived but is in critical condition.”
Adejobi also revealed that a total of 618 suspects have been arrested for various violent offenses related to the protests. He noted that these arrests occurred in locations including Abuja, Gombe, Jigawa, and Kaduna.
