On Friday, SaharaReporters obtained multiple videos showing a deceased police officer lying in a pool of blood, having been shot by a fellow officer. The incident occurred during a protest in Katsina State.
The videos were shared by an X user, A.O. Yusuf, who criticized the incident as an example of extreme unprofessionalism and negligence by the police. Another user, Salako, expressed deep concern, suggesting that the Nigerian Police Force is a primary source of violence in the ongoing protests and implying that without the video evidence, officials would have blamed the protesters.
The police have not issued an official statement on the incident. SaharaReporters’ attempts to reach State Police Spokesman ASP Sadiq Aliyu for comment were unsuccessful. When contacted, Aliyu did not confirm or deny the incident, only stating, “Let me call you back.”
Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun had previously expressed concern over violence during the #EndBadGovernance protests, noting that police stations were attacked, government buildings were targeted, and several officers were killed or injured. He stated that the Nigeria Police Force is on high alert and prepared to respond to any threats to public safety.
In response to the unrest, the Katsina State government imposed a 24-hour curfew in Dutsinma LGA and banned gatherings and protests statewide. The government cited reports of violence and property damage by some protesters as the reason for these measures.
Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, spokesperson for the state police command, denied claims that police fired live ammunition at protesters, asserting that the police exercised restraint and professionalism in their response.
