By Dele Ogbodo
The Police on Thursday said Amnesty International report that it killed 45 shiite protesters is untrue and an absolute distortion.
Mr. Jimoh Moshood, the Force PRO, in a statement said Police rejects the Amnesty International report and allegation against the Police on use of deadly force against IMN members as untrue, absolute distortion and diversionary.
The statement said it attention was drawn to the AI Report published on 31st October captioned “Nigeria: Security forces must be held accountable for killing of at least 45 peaceful Shi’a protesters”.
“The Nigeria Police Force after a careful study the entire report and the allegation against the Police on paragraph 3 of the report.
“We have seen a shocking and unconscionable use of deadly force by soldiers and police against IMN members.
“Video footage and eyewitness testimonies consistently show that the Nigerian military dispersed peaceful gatherings by firing live ammunition without warning, in clear violation of Nigerian and international law,” said Osai Ojigho, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria”
“The Police Force wishes to state categorically that the allegation against the Police by the Amnesty International as stated in paragraph 3 quoted above is in its entirety untrue, misleading, a clear misrepresentation and absolute distortion of facts to divert attention from the heinous crimes committed by the El-Zazakky Group, which include unprovoked attack on Police personnel and the setting ablaze of Police vehicle in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on 30th October, 2018 and disturbance of public peace and public safety in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on the said date.
Moshood said: “The Force despite the height of provocation from the El-Zazakky group and the setting ablaze of a Police patrol vehicle resist the use of maximum force on the group but effected the arrest of 400 members of the group for disturbance of public peace, disruption of law and order in the Federal Capital Territory and setting ablaze of Police patrol vehicle. Some of the members of the El-Zazakky groups were also arrested with 31 bottles of petrol bombs, other dangerous weapons and illicit drugs. All those arrested are being prosecuted in accordance with the law.
According to Moshood, Police sees the AI allegation against the Police as deliberate and desperate attempt to cast aspersions on the investigation and ongoing prosecution of the arrested members of the El-Zazakky Group to pervert the end of justice.