Lagos State governor’s spokesman Gbenga Akosile on Thursday said he was embarrassed for sharing a statement sent to him by the police over the attack on protesters in Surulere.
“First let me start by saying that the statement in question is not from me. It’s from the State police command and signed by its PRO. I posted the press release as sent to me,” Akosile said.
“I was later embarrassed,” he added.
In the statement shared by Akosile on Monday, police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi claimed that “protesters fired and killed one Ikechukwu Ilohamauzo, 55 years, a driver of one Toyota Sienna Bus, with Registration Number LSD 296 FX” a claim several eyewitnesses have denied.
Akosile also said he found the claim “very contentious” and he also “took down the post.”
“My personal position is totally in support of #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeria. I can’t begin to state here the many “fights”,” the government spokesman said.
The police have been overtime found guilty of shifting blames or even denying attacks on protesters.
It took Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to confirm the death and attack on protesters in the state after the police in its statement said it fired no bullets at protesters.
Until now, the police have remained silent over the torture and the deaths of other protesters.
The police have a long history of being unaccountable to the citizens it is meant to serve and protesters have remained on the streets because of this.
One of the several demands of the protesters is that erring policemen should be named and prosecuted.
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