#EndSARS:  73 deaths recorded, 1,596 suspects arrested nationwide for looting, violence

31 Oct #EndSARS:  73 deaths recorded, 1,596 suspects arrested nationwide for looting, violence

The Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu has said the  #ENDSARS protests claimed 73 lives including 22 police personnel nationwide, and 1,596 suspects have been arrested in connection with the violence and widespread looting across the country.

Speaking in a virtual conference with senior police officers in Abuja, he said statistics collated between 11th October, 2020 when the protests assumed a national dimension and 27th October, 2020 indicated that 14 States recorded major violence leading to attacks on critical security infrastructure and other corporate and private properties as well as injuries or fatalities to civilians, the police and other security agents.

“The States include Lagos, Edo, Delta, Oyo, Kano, Plateau, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Rivers, Abia, Imo, and Ekiti States and the FCT.

In total, 71 public warehouses and 248 privately owned stores were looted in the course of the protests nationwide.

“A total of 51 civilian fatalities and 37 civilian injuries have been recorded, while a total of 22 policemen were gruesomely murdered with 26 others injured by the protesters.

“Furthermore, 205 critical national security assets, corporate facilities and private property were attacked, burnt or vandalized. So far, 10 firearms including 8 AK 47 rifles carted away during the attack on Police Stations, and a locally made pistol have been recovered from elements operating under the guise of the ENDSARS protesters.

“In addition, 1,596 suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the violence and widespread looting by the protesters across the country and out of the number, 1,117 suspects have been charged to court across the country.

The breakdown shows: Lagos – 520 suspects; Plateau State – 367 ; FCT – 210;  Kwara -142;Osun State – 82; Adamawa State – 60  ;  Kano -36;  Ogun State- 36; Edo State -33 Kaduna -20;   Akwa Ibom -20; fifteen (15) in Abia – 15 ; Delta State -15 ; Oyo -13; Ekiti State -13 ;  Rivers State -10;  Ondo State- 10;

He encouraged the officers and men not to be demoralised by recent events.

“You should rather draw inspiration from the motivating words of Mr. President who in a speech delivered during the launch of the Presidential Youths Empowerment Scheme (P-YES) at the State House on Monday 12th October, 2020 duly acknowledged that ‘the vast majority of men and women of the Nigeria Police Force are patriotic and committed to protecting the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians and we will continue to support them to do their jobs’,” he said.