The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu on Tuesday visited Abia State to ascertain the level of damage caused by the #EndSARS protest in the state, ABN TV reports.
This is even as he charged men and officers of the command to brutally go after criminal elements whose intent is to cause disharmony in the state and across the country.
While urging them to abide by rules of professional engagement in the discharge of their functions, IGP Adamu expressed regret that the #EndSARS protest was sparked off by what he called fake news in the social media.
He said there was a fake story about a man who jumped off a moving vehicle on siting a team of security operatives in Delta State.
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According to the IGP, the man didn’t die as portrayed on social media, neither was the operatives of the defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) involved in the incident but it ended up in the #EndSARS protest.
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He said, “The protest was peaceful when it started and we gave security to the protesters, but when the organizers felt the purpose was not being achieved they turned violent, Policemen were killed, injured and police posts were burnt down across the country.
“They went as far as attacking private institutions, private homes, and looted peoples’ properties.
“When the protest was on, we never received encouragement from the public, but rather people were talking about police brutality. But we appreciate the president and some private individuals who understood the role we are playing in securing lives and prosperities.
“We have learnt our lessons from the #EndSARS protest and we will never allow a protest of that magnitude to happen again in the Country”.
He further added, “The Government has given us the firearm to protect lives and properties and not to kill, so if hoodlums want to destroy government properties, kill People and even pose a threat to your lives aim at their knees to incapacitate them”, he said.
The IGP who paid a courtesy call on the Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, also received some operational vehicles from the Governor.
Adamu, also commissioned some completed police projects in the state including the permanent site of the zone 9 police headquarters in Umuahia the state capital.
The Commissioner of Police in state Mrs. Janet Agbede in a statement alleged that the members of Indigenous people of Biafra hijacked the #End SARS protest to cause mayhem in the state.
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She pointed out that two police inspectors were killed and one police post and a defunct political party building were burnt during the protest.
