Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), reported that a police officer was killed during his duties amid the #EndBadGovernance protests that took place nationwide on Thursday. Egbetokun shared this information at a press conference in Abuja, where he discussed the shift from what was meant to be a peaceful protest to violence in various locations.
The IGP also mentioned that some officers were injured by individuals posing as protesters. He expressed concern over the widespread damage to police stations and other public properties caused by violent protesters. According to Egbetokun, the events in major cities involved “mass uprising and looting,” diverging significantly from the peaceful intentions of the protests.
Despite earlier warnings from the police, the organizers of the protests were notably missing, which allowed troublemakers to take over the demonstrations. As a result, all police units have been placed on high alert.
Egbetokun detailed that the violence included the destruction of police stations, attempts to seize government buildings, and extensive looting of public and private properties. States such as the FCT, Kaduna, Kano, and Gombe experienced unprovoked attacks on security personnel, resulting in one officer’s death and several others being injured.
The Nigeria Police Force has responded by fully mobilizing its units to address the current situation and ensure public safety.
The protests, which began on August 1, 2024, and are expected to last until August 10, have spread to Kano, Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa, and 32 other states, including Abuja. The unrest, fueled by rising food and essential goods prices and economic difficulties stemming from policy changes on petrol subsidies and forex, has led to incidents of vehicle fires and looting.
In response to the chaos, curfews have been implemented in several states. The demonstrations have gained significant attention on social media. Despite concerns from the police, military, and Department of State Services about potential similarities to the EndSARS protests of October 2020, the demonstrators remain determined.
