Tuesday, July 23, 2024The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun, has said the Nigeria Police would respond to some Nigerians' planned protest on Aug. 1 “in a most professional manner.”
While speaking at a meeting with
Strategic Police Managers in Abuja on Tuesday, July 23, the police boss said
the meeting with the strategic police managers was to share intelligence from
the various police commands in the country and analyse it for the country's
security.
“So we are prepared, and I want to
assure you that we will manage the protest in the most professional manner” he
said
The IG said the police would remain
committed to providing security for those who would protest peacefully.
“If the protest is peaceful, you will
see us protecting the protesters as long as they remain peaceful. But we have a
duty to protect lives and property, so we will not sit back and watch hoodlums
burn down facilities in the name of protest. So we are not against peaceful
protest; we will support peaceful protest by protecting those who will engage
in peaceful protest,” he said
He said the task of maintaining law
and order during the protest would not be a challenge if the protesters engaged
in peaceful protest.The police boss added that it becomes a challenge if the
protest is violent.
“No civilised society will tolerate
violent protest. Violent protest is criminal, but peaceful protest is a
right.”he said
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