Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday has defended the resistance of the Shittes protester by the Police on Monday.

Saying that the police deserved commendation for the act, Adeshina added that the death toll would have been much higher if the police had not exercised restraints, the Punch reported.

The Presidential spokesman’s comment was in response to the widespread criticism that the police ought not to have fired live bullets to the protesters, who are seeking the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzakky of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria.

Quoting Adeshina, “I tell you despite what happened yesterday, if the police had responded with greater force, you know we would not be talking about what we are talking now.

“A deputy commissioner of police was killed. Yes, very sad, that is one life just like any other life. He did not deserve to die in service to the country but if the police had responded in similar fashion, you would have been talking of rivers of blood in Abuja now.

“I still believe there was some restraint yesterday despite what happened and personally, I still commend the police for showing that restraint.”

Commenting on the government’s refusal to obey Justice Gabriel Kolawole’s order to release El-Zakzakky, Adeshina disclosed that it had appealed the ruling.

He said, “If bail is granted and another case subsists and there is an immediate filling of appeal, you have to wait till it is dispensed with. So, that is a legal matter which is outside my purview but as a layman, an unlearned man as lawyers would call us, we know that until all cases are dispensed with, you don’t say that it has been concluded.”

He further added that the matter had since been taken before a Kaduna State court where the bail hearing will be held on Monday and therefore called on the Shiites to wait for the court to make its ruling.

Photo Credit: Channels TV