Rights activist and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, was earlier today shot with tear gas canister, which injured him on the right side of his hips.
He was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Omoyele and a group of other Nigerians were staging a protest to demand an end to insecurity in the country.
The cannister was allegedly fired by a policewoman drafted to the Unity Fountain to disperse the protesters.
The activist sent a message to his associates that he was shot by the police. This created apprehension among his fans who feared for his life.
Reacting, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command denied claim that Omoyele Sowore was shot during the protest.
The spokesperson for the command, Mariam Yusuf, in a statement, said there was no record of any incident such as a shooting during the protest.
The statement titled ‘Police restores calm at the Unity Fountain’ reads:
“The FCT Command wishes to debunk the viral message in some sections of the social media purporting that ‘Omoyele Sowore was shot by a female Assistant Commissioner of Police’ at the Unity Fountain.
Contrary to the speculation, police operatives professionally restored calm at the Unity Fountain following attempts by a group of protesters to incite public disturbance.
The protesters, who went on the rampage, were resisted by police operatives in order to prevent them from causing a breakdown of the law and order. There is no record of such an incident as of the time of this release.
“The command enjoins residents to remain calm and law-abiding while reaffirming its commitment towards the protection of lives and property within the FCT.”
