The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu has decried reports by Amnesty International, that police officer shot at #EndSARS protesters. The Police chief stated that the Amnesty’s report of October 21 2020, which claimed that police opened fire at protesters during the #EndSARS protest was all false. According to him, the report was “untrue, misleading and contrary to all available empirical evidence.”

IGP Adamu made this known in a Twitter thread headlined ‘ENDSARS PROTESTS: POLICE PERSONNEL WERE PROFESSIONAL AND EXERCISED MAXIMUM RESTRAINTS – IGP TELLS AMNESTY INT’L’

officers of the Nigeria Police Force acted professionally, exercised commendable restraints and some paid the supreme price for peace during the recent protests and ensuing violence in some parts of the country.

— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) October 30, 2020

The IGP noted that during the protests, officers of the Force used legitimate means to ensure that the protests were carried out in a peaceful manner and in most cases, physically protected and walked side-by-side with the protesters.

— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) October 30, 2020

The police chief maintained that despite subversive elements, the police maintained professionalism in dealing with protesters when the hoodlums hijacked the protest and created mayhem in the country. Essentially, the police are branding the reports of the Amnesty group as false and misleading. But a few Nigerians, reacting to IGP Adamu’s tweet, shared their reservations about his comments.

Here are a few reactions:

Y'all mad…. Hw many stations do you have in total in Nigeria self? ?

— T A Y E? (@el_finito9) October 30, 2020

@amnesty @AmnestyNigeria @amnestyusa @AmnestyUK the Nigerian Police are lairs. I personally watched them shoot at people and I even watched them kill people while I ran for my life. THE NIGERIAN POLICE ARE WILD ANIMALS.

— NIGERIAN YOUTH PROTESTING ?? (@Bikemwarner) October 30, 2020

Keep deceiving yourself there ……

— Greg Pedro (@GregPedro7) October 30, 2020

A part of the police statement in reacting to the Amnesty International’s report drew attention to the fact that police officers, like protesters, are human beings and were also victims. IGP Adamu implied that while it may appear that the world is attempting to paint Nigerian security operatives and the government as the enemy, they forget that officers are human beings with feelings.

The Force decries the discriminatory tendencies exhibited by Amnesty International as seen in the report. One wonders if in the estimation of Amnesty International, police officers are not also human beings equally entitled to the protection of their fundamental rights to life

— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) October 30, 2020

Following the Lekki Massacre, violence, and shootings of peaceful protesters during marches, we have seen security operatives and politicians try to gaslight Nigerians with several methods. Some have outrightly lied to the faces of Nigerians, some have cried on National TV, some have chosen not to speak about important events, and the list goes on. IGP Adamu creating a ‘what about us?’ narrative from these incidents that have claimed the lives of many is just another attempt to play on emotions as a tool to gaslight Nigerians.

During the protest, there were several accounts of killings, shootings, arresting and harassment of protesters. How do you arrest, shoot at peaceful protesters and call it professional? Many Nigerians witnessed this, and there are video footages to back it up yet IGP Adamu and some political actors would rather ask the world to consider the policemen’s humanity; whining ‘what about us too?’