People carry placards in continuation of ongoing demonstrations to call for the scrapping of the controversial police unit at Ikeja, on October 9, 2020. - Nigeria's top police chief banned a controversial anti-robbery unit and other special agents from mounting roadblocks and carrying out stop-and-search operations over accusations of abuses. Inspector-General of Police Muhammed Adamu said the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other tactical squads must stop such operations "with immediate effect". Adamu said the decision followed findings that "a few personnel" in undercover tactical squads have abused their position "to perpetrate all forms of illegality". (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP)
Despite footage showing otherwise, the Nigerian police has said the attack on #EndSARS protesters in Abuja on Wednesday was not carried out by thugs but a clash between opposing protesters who were against the disbandment of the largely resented and controversial police unit.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Ciroma
Ekohotblog had reported how protesters, who converged at Berger roundabout of the city to continue their protest for police reforms, were attacked by thugs who destroyed five vehicles and also injured some of the protesters.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Ciroma however, said it was not an attack but a clash between two groups who disagree.
“At the beginning, there were convergence of protesters at Berger roundabout,” the police commissioner was quoted as saying in Abuja by the News Agency of Nigeria.
“Later, we discovered that the protesters were divided into two, those protesting against SARS and those against ending SARS.
“While we deployed our men to ensure law and order, these groups came into the arena, and before we knew it, there was hot exchanges between the groups.”
Mr Ciroma said the situation was prevented from degenerating into utter chaos due to the timely intervention of his officers.
The police commissioner also said no casualty was recorded, noting, however, that five vehicles were vandalised.
He also said that no protester was arrested, not even those who destroyed the vehicles or injured other protesters.
He said the command had commenced investigation to determine what led to the violence that got many injured in the protest.
According to him, a number of policemen have been deployed to various parts of the city.
He called for calm to allow economic activities return to normal in the Nigerian capital.
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