The police in the federal capital territory (FCT) has refuted report that Omoyele Sowore, an activist and publisher of an online news site, Sahara Reporters was shot by its officers in Abuja.
Recall that aide of Omoyele Sowore had earlier told newsmen that the activist was shot at by the police at the Unity Fountain while he was trying to gain entrance into the place on Monday.
Protesters had converged on the fountain at 8:30am. But the police allegedly denied them entry into the facility.
Sowore was said to have been speaking with a detachment of police officers stationed at the public facility when an officer shot at the crowd.
Refuting the reports via a statement on Monday, the police public relations officer in the FCT, Mariam Yusuf said the activist was not shot at by the police.
“Contrary to the speculation, Police operatives professionally restored calm at the Unity Fountain following attempts by a group of protesters to incite public disturbance,” she said.
“The protesters who went on the rampage were resisted by Police Operatives in order to prevent them from causing a breakdown of law and order.
“There is no record of such incident as at the time of this report.”
Sowore has been having a brush with law enforcement agents since 2020 when he was arrested and detained for months by the Department of State Services (DSS).
He had called for a nationwide protest but was arrested on the eve of the demonstration in August 2020.