Public affairs analyst Dickson Iroegbu has criticized the conduct of the Nigeria Police Force in its response to peaceful protests across the country.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Monday, Iroegbu argued that Nigeria’s security challenges would have been significantly reduced if the police addressed insecurity with the same intensity they used in dispersing protesters.

He made the remarks while reacting to the police response to the “Free Nnamdi Kanu” protest held in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday.

According to reports, officers allegedly fired tear gas and live ammunition at the demonstrators, though the police denied these allegations.

“First of all, I commend my brother, Sowore. I was born seven years after the civil war, and for the first time, I felt loved as an Igbo man by another Nigerian,” Iroegbu said.

“Today again, the protest was declared peaceful by its convener — and it truly was. But if you move around Abuja, you’ll see that if the Nigerian police handled insecurity the same way they confronted protesters, we wouldn’t be facing insecurity today.

“They didn’t just release tear gas but also live bullets at peaceful protesters. It’s unfortunate, and things cannot continue this way,” he added.

The protest, organized by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).