JUST IN: We’ll Professionally Handle Any Protest — IGP

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun has expressed the willingness of the police to handle protest demonstrations, professionally if they occur anywhere in the country.

The spokesperson of the police, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi disclosed the information in a terse post, where he quoted the IGP, alongside his picture

Egbetokun while speaking at Tuesday’s police strategic managers and tactical commanders conference in Abuja, said that the citizens also have the right to protest.

The post read, “We will be professional in handling any protest in Nigeria. Right to protest is the right to peaceful protest… IGP Egbetokun.”

The IGP’s assertion followed hardship protests being planned mostly by youths who are decrying creeping poverty, unemployment and hardship in the country.

However, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Commissioner (CP) Benneth Igweh pleaded with residents of the city not to join the planned nationwide strike, scheduled for August.

He feared that the planned protest was likely to be hijacked by miscreants, whom he believed may infiltrate the capital city, causing more security challenges to be resolved.

“You have fought those people outside Abuja; we have been to Kaduna to fight them; we have been to Nasarawa to fight them. We have been to Kogi to fight them. We have been Niger to fight them so that you can be safe.

“This is why I have lost men. Last week alone, in Gidan Dogo I lost two policemen. The other day, I lost two again. Let our loss pay for the protest. I want to plead with you. We do not need you to be in the street.”