The Police Service Commission, PSC, has said it is not possible for Nigerian police officers not to carry guns while monitoring protests.
The German government had on Thursday said Nigerian police should be trained on how to handle protests without carrying guns.
But spokesperson of the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, said the situation in Nigeria could not be compared to that of Germany or abroad.
He told The Punch that when there are demonstrations abroad, the people just demonstrate, but that in Nigeria, people demonstrate carrying guns.
“So if policemen are going to handle demonstrators in Nigeria, they won’t just come with batons, because they could be killed,” he said.
Ani added that in abroad protesters do not carry anything, as they just come out and demonstrate to show the world that they are not happy with what they are doing.
“It is not like that here in Nigeria. Police officers that are going to quell demonstrations in Nigeria must be prepared. At least, they should be able to secure themselves,” he stated.
