We didn’t kill members of MASSOB, IPOB – Police

The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase has said that personnel of the Nigeria Police Force didn’t kill any member of the Movement for the  Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as published in social media platforms.

Reacting in a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Kolewole Olabisi in Abuja denied that the police killed any of the members of the group as contained in several false posts on Facebook and other social media.

Olabisi said, “The police is being accused of shooting, maiming and even killing members of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who have been taken part in street protests, markets and other public places in some eastern states of Nigeria, infringing on the rights and freedom of innocent citizens who were ordinarily going about their lawful businesses.”

She added that despite obvious provocations, the Police have maintained and managed the situation with high sense of responsibility and professionalism.

The FPPRO added that the Nigeria Police Force is conscious of the “rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association amongst others as enshrined in Chapter Four of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), and cannot afford to maim or kill citizens exercising these rights.

Olabisi reiterated that the Nigeria Police are duty-bound to enforce these rights noting that the IGP has charged Police officers in State Commands to ensure that citizens embarking on rallies and other peaceful demonstrations are provided adequate security in line with the standard operational practice of the Force.

The IGP therefore called on all law abiding citizens to disregard the allegations by these groups, describing their allegations as false and calculated attempt to attract undue attention and sympathy.