Police allegedly shoot Sowore with a tear gas canister

Publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, has been allegedly shot in the thigh by an armed police officer on Monday, May 31, 2021, at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.

Reports indicate that a policewoman opened tear gas to disperse the crowd but hit the former presidential candidate on his thigh.

According to reports he has been rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Omoyele and other Nigerians embarked on a protest to demand an end to insecurity ravaging the country.

The publisher was allegedly shot in his right hip by a policewoman deployed to maintain peace and order among the protesters.

Sowore who fell to the ground after the canister hit him has since been rushed to the hospital for treatment.

However, in a publication cited on The Punch, the FCT Police Command has debunked claims that Sowore was shot, saying there was no record of the incident.

The Command Spokesperson, Mariam Yusuf, in a statement explained;

“The FCT Police 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 law and order. There is no record of such incident as at the time of this release.”

Watch a video of him speaking after the attack,