News / Reports

Nigerian protest turns violent

Wednesday, 21 October 2020 11:40 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 21 October 2020 11:41 PM ]

Danjuma Abdullahi

Press TV, Abuja

Protests against police brutality in many Nigerian cities started about two weeks ago following anger at the shooting of a civilian and generally various human rights abuses by the police.

The demonstrators, who are predominantly youths targeted a special unit of the Nigerian police known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS. As a result of the protests, Nigeria’s Chief of Police disbanded the special squad and promised an investigation into the various cases of police brutality.

The Human Rights Commission has also inaugurated an investigative panel to examine cases of human rights abuses. But the protests have continued in many cities and have started taking a destructive dimension because police stations, cars, businesses, and government buildings have been targeted and torched.

Following the violence which continues to spread across Nigerian cities, dusk to dawn curfews have been imposed including the Nigerian commercial city of Lagos where reports have indicated that soldiers have attacked the protesters for violating the curfew. There is unconfirmed loss of lives during the incident.

Here, in Abuja the Nigerian capital, there is relative calm following days of protests and violence in some selected areas of the city. Here and in some cities schools and some businesses have temporarily closed because of the fragile security situation.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk