Abuja Protest: The Inspector General of the Nigerian Police Force Ibrahim Idris following the alleged violent protest by some members of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has summoned the alleged leaders of the Abuja protest, of Senate’s President, Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Ben Bruce for further investigation.
According to the statement released by Force Public Relation Officer, Jimoh Moshood, the likes of Senator Saraki, Ben Murray-Bruce and Dino Melaye were allegedly captured on camera to have been involved in the disturbance of public peace and public safety.
Mr. Jimoh Moshood said the Abuja Protest which was allegedly led by the lawmakers saw the unlawful blockade of Shehu Shagari way for several hours preventing motorists, road users and other members of the public from having access and passage on the highway thereby disturbing public peace and public safety and causing innocent people to scamper for safety.
He went further to state that there was also a violent attack on Policemen posted to ensure security of the Force Headquarters, pushing and hitting the Policemen to forcefully enter the Force Headquarters to cause damage to Police equipment and Government properties.
The Police after narrating the offence of the three Senators ordered them to report themselves to the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters on Monday, 8th October 2018 for investigation. The statement reads:
Today at about 1330Hrs, unruly and violent protesters who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in their hundreds with thugs and miscreants inside several trucks and vehicles blocked the Shehu Shagari way in front of the Nigeria Police Force, Headquarters creating a gridlock of traffic on the highway and preventing motorists, road users and other members of the public from having access and passage on Shehu Shagari Way thereby disturbing public peace and public safety and causing innocent people to scamper for safety, suddenly the unruly/violent protesters surge and rushed violently on the Policemen posted to ensure the safety of the Force Headquarters premises, pushing and hitting the Policemen to forcefully enter the Force Headquarters to cause damage to Police equipment and Government properties.
The Police team headed by a very Senior Police Officer despite the provocation, after issuing words of the proclamation, warning this unruly PDP protesters who were chanting war songs of ”we no go gree o, we no go gree, we no go gree”, charged the Police personnel who used minimum force and dispersed them.
Senator Dino Melaye, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce and others yet to be identified were recorded on Camera pushing Policemen to forcefully enter the Force Headquarters to damage and destroy Police equipment and Government properties while Senator Bukola Saraki was at the scene of the attack in his car also
captured on camera along with hundreds of miscreants and thugs in the acts of disturbance of public peace and public safety, unlawful blockade of Shehu Shagari way for several hours preventing motorists, road users and other members of the public from having access and passage on the highway thereby
disturbing public peace and public safety and causing innocent people to scamper for safety.
The Inspector General of Police has directed an immediate investigation into this unprovoked and unwarranted attack on the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Force Headquarters premises which is against the law and condemnable. will do everything within the law to bring all perpetrators of this
crime to justice, no matter how highly placed. Consequently, Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye and
Senator Ben Bruce who were captured on camera to have been involved in the disturbance of public peace and public safety, unlawful blockade of Shehu Shagari way for several hours preventing motorists, road users and other members of the public from having access and passage on the highway thereby
disturbing public peace and public safety and causing innocent people to scamper for safety and violent attack on Policemen posted to ensure security of the Force Headquarters, pushing and hitting the Policemen to forcefully enter the Force Headquarters to cause damage to Police equipment and Government properties
are hereby invited to report themselves to the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters on Monday, 8th October, 2018 for investigation.
Members of the public in the FCT are implored to remain calm as the situation is under control. Further development will be communicated to the public soon.
Ag. DCP JIMOH MOSHOOD
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA