The Nigeria Police Force, has explained that the #FreeNnamdiKanu protesters in Abuja were teargassed on Monday because they violated the court order restraining them from protesting in certain areas of the nation’s capital.
The Police Force also denied blocking roads in Abuja amidst the protests which rocked the nation’s capital.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on 𝕏, explained that the Police did not block the roads, but cleared it after it was blocked by the protesters.
He added that the Police remain a law-abiding institution and only carried out its constitutional mandate to enable Nigerians have easy passage to their respective destinations.
Hundeyin affirmed that the court order restricting protesters from the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way remain in place.
“Police teargas protesters attempting to approach Aso Villa in clear contravention of a court order restricting protesters from the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way.
“We are the country’s foremost law enforcement agency. We carried out our mandate.
“And we did NOT block the road but cleared it after it was blocked by the protesters. This is to enable other Nigerians easy passage to their respective destinations,” he wrote on 𝕏.
Bellnews recalls that the lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor, accused the police of using teargas to disperse protesters who gathered in Abuja on Monday.
In a post via 𝕏 Ejimakor said police officers fired teargas into the air while a large crowd assembled in front of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel for the protest.
He said the incident left him with irritation in his eyes and throat.
Similarly, the convener of the protest, Omoyele Sowore, accused the Police of firing unprovoked gunshots at the protesters.