(DDM) – Public affairs analyst Dickson Iroegbu has sharply criticised the Nigerian Police Force over its handling of protesters, insisting that the country would face far less insecurity if law enforcement treated criminals with the same rigor as peaceful demonstrators.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Iroegbu made the comments on Monday while featuring on Prime Time, a programme aired on Arise Television, responding to the Free Nnamdi Kanu protest in Abuja.
The analyst condemned what he described as the “excessive use of force” by police officers against demonstrators demanding the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“The protest was peaceful as declared by the organisers, yet the Nigerian police released not just tear gas but live bullets at the participants. It is unfortunate and unacceptable,” Iroegbu stated.
He commended activist Omoyele Sowore for organising the protest, noting that as an Igbo man, he felt recognition and respect from fellow Nigerians for the first time since the civil war.
Iroegbu further observed that the police approach to protesters exposes a dangerous double standard in Nigeria’s security architecture.
“Go around Abuja and see for yourselves. If the Nigerian police tackled insecurity in the country the way they confronted peaceful protesters, we wouldn’t have these widespread security challenges,” he said.
The analyst argued that the government’s failure to adequately address criminality, while responding harshly to lawful demonstrations, undermines public trust in law enforcement.
He stressed that peaceful protests, like the #FreeNnamdiKanu demonstration, are constitutional rights guaranteed to all Nigerians and should not be met with violence.
DDM reports that on Monday, hundreds of protesters gathered in the Federal Capital Territory demanding the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has remained in detention despite multiple court orders for his release.
Human rights advocates have repeatedly raised concerns over excessive police actions during civil protests, highlighting violations of fundamental freedoms, including the rights to assembly, expression, and personal safety.
Iroegbu concluded that restoring faith in the police would require both accountability for officers who abuse their powers and a reorientation of law enforcement priorities toward genuine national security threats.
The analyst’s comments add to growing public debates over police reform and civil liberties in Nigeria, particularly in light of the ongoing tension surrounding the detention of Nnamdi Kanu and related protests across the South-East.
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