The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has denied allegations that its officers attacked peaceful protesters during the “Fearless In October” protest in Abuja on Tuesday.
Earlier reports claimed police fired teargas at demonstrators protesting against bad governance near Utako market.
In a statement, Police Public Relations Officer SP Josephine Adeh dismissed these claims, saying the police only took “proactive measures” to prevent looting by miscreants. “The command wishes to categorically debunk the narrative, tagging it completely false and misleading,” Adeh said.
Videos circulating on social media showed police firing teargas at a crowd of about 50 protesters. However, the police insist they were acting on intelligence and trying to stop individuals who were using the protest as an opportunity to loot shops.
“As a responsible agency, we could not stand by and allow traders to be robbed of their hard-earned money and belongings without intervening,” SP Adeh added.
The protest, dubbed the “National Day of Survival,” follows earlier demonstrations in August where at least 21 protesters were killed in a nationwide crackdown, according to Amnesty International.
Critics of President Bola Tinubu’s administration have protested against policies such as the removal of the petrol subsidy and unification of exchange rates, which have led to increased inflation and higher living costs.
The police urged the public to ignore misleading reports and emphasized their commitment to safeguarding lives and property while allowing the public to exercise their civil rights.
