Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Monday, disclosed that the police operatives only arrested riotous individuals who were engaged in criminality during the ongoing nationwide protest.
Adejobi, a chief superintendent of police, said this during the monthly news conference organised by the Strategic Communication Inter-agency Policy Committee (SCIPC) hosted by the Department of States Services (DSS) in Abuja, explaining that there were differences between protests and riots.
The spokesman said while there were peaceful protests in some states, there were riots and criminalities in others on the first day.
“So, arrests of certain individuals who have been riotous should not be seen as the arrest of protesters.
“Let us get it clear. Some states in Nigeria have been having peaceful protests, and security agencies have been engaging them.
“I am sure, and I know you are aware, that some governors and public office holders have been engaging them.
“You can only engage in a gathering, an assembly that is friendly and accessible, where you have individuals wielding stones, offensive weapons, dangerous weapons and all the likes.
“I don’t think a reasonable man will move close or be in the middle of such a gathering.
“So I don’t want us to use the word protesters for those who are actually, to the best of our knowledge and based on our findings, that are rioters and, of course, criminally minded individuals.
“We have arrested 873 suspects so far, and these suspects are those who are directly connected to one criminal offence or the other,” he added.
Adejobi also denied that the police and other security agencies attacked journalists who were covering the protests, adding that they only prevented people from gathering at unauthorised places. (NAN)
