From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Idris Ibrahim, yesterday shed light on the killings of some members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) otherwise called Shiites, on Monday during a clash with police in Kano city. Nine people including a police officer died.
While agreeing that rioters should not be killed, he said if the protesters were heavily armed, killing police officer, the method deployed by the police should be appreciated.
Idris was responding to questions by State House Correspondents yesterday at the end of the launch of the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa and chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The clash reportedly started around Tamburawa, on the outskirts of Kano city, when the police tried to stop a Shiite protest.
The Shiites had late on Sunday accused soldiers of plotting to block their members heading to Kano from Yobe State while also planting weapons on them.
When asked if there are no other ways of quelling riots without killing, the IGP replied,”I agree with what you said, but when you have Nigerians armed to the teeth, killing police officers, I don’t think it happens anywhere in the world. I think as Nigerians, we have to appreciate, when you appreciate a dangerous situation, and to be sympathetic with the police that are being killed by miscreants.
“Obviously from time to time, we have been experiencing upheavals from this set of people. As police officers, we have the responsibility to ensure there is law and order and when you have people taking over the whole country, dominating streets and buildings, we have to come in to maintain sanity in those areas.
“As of early yesterday (Monday), we got information that they were trying to block Kano to Zaria Road. They later assembled in large numbers and our officers were deployed into the place to ensure freedom of movement of ordinary Nigerians. They attacked our officers, killed one of our officers one has sustained an arrow wound on his head and obviously in such a situation, police have the responsilitity to ensure free movement of people on the road. And that was what our officers did,” he said.
On the fears that if not checked it might result in another Boko Haram situation, Idris said, “obviously, it is. Whether now or whenever, as police officers, we have a responsibility to ensure there is law and order in any part of this country and to ensure that no organisation or individual should constitute themselves into a government, block passages and buildings,” IGP Idris noted.
On the constitutional provision of free movement, the police boss insisted the Shiites were blocking the road and not exercising freedom of movement.
He said, “What happens is that there is nothing like freedom there. When you worship, you go to mosques or churches. Blocking highways and passages doesn’t constitute part of worship
“My message to Nigerians is that all of us should be our brother’s keepers. We should appreciate the feeling of others that where your right ends, another person’s right begins. Every Nigerian has a right that must be protected. We should ensure we protect the rights of ever individuals: right of freedom, right of association and right of movement,” he said.