The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, bowed to pressure on Monday and directed police top brass to protect intending participants of the planned #EndBadGovernance protest slated for August 1 to 10, 2024.
The IGP had last week requested the names and other details of intending participants of the forthcoming protest as a condition to protect demonstrators but many Nigerians immediately rejected such a condition. The police subsequently said having such details is standard procedure to ensure the safety of all participants and prevent any unlawful activities.
However, the IGP, in a letter addressed to human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, on Monday, directed police commanders to protect protesters nationwide.
Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had on July 26, 2024, written the IGP to provide police coverage for protesters. The senior lawyer had written the IGP on behalf of the Take It Back Movement, one of the groups planning the #EndBadGovernance protest in August.
The IGP, in his response letter dated July 29, 2024, directed senior police officers to attend to the request of the senior lawyer.
Egbetokun’s response was signed by his Principal Staff Officer, CP Johnson Adenola.
The IGP also requested to have a meeting with Adegboruwa in Abuja on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, “to deliberate further” on his request.
“I am to inform you that the Inspector General of Police has directed the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (Operations and Intelligence), the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) in charge of Zonal Police Headquarters and the Commissioners of Police (CPs) in charge of State Commands across the country to attend to your request.
“I am to also inform you that the Inspector General of Police wishes to have a meeting with you at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday, 30th July 2024 to deliberate further on your request,” CP Adenola said.
