The Nigeria Police Force, Niger State Command has said that its operatives used “minimum force” on several protesters in Minna, the state capital over their involvement in the early Monday morning protests and the blockade of Kpakungu community road in Chanchaga Local Government Area of the state.
The Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the arrest of the protesters in an interview with newsmen, added that the arrested protesters had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Minna.
The police spokesperson said that “Early Monday morning, we were given information that some protesters blocked Bida-Minna road and we mobilised our patrol team led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Kpakungu Police Division. After some persuasion, the protesters refused to open the road.
“Thereafter, the State Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba also arrived and approached them (the protesters) to open the road, but the protesters refused to open the road for the road users.”
According to Nigerian Tribune, the police spokesperson added that when the protesters refused to listen to the Deputy Governor, the police decided to adopt minimum force to disperse the protesters who, according to him, were being violent and allegedly damaged a police patrol vehicle.
The PPRO however said that normalcy was restored and that the road was reopened and there was free flow of traffic.
He further stated that “The monitoring of the situation continues as our men are still on ground to monitor the situation.”