[ad_1]
For two weeks there have been violent protests against police violence in Nigeria, and the situation escalated a few days ago. Now the president admits: several dozen civilians and security forces have died.
In recent days, 51 civilians, 11 policemen and 7 soldiers have been killed in bloody protests against police violence in Nigeria. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said this in an evening statement and admitted for the first time that the violent riots of the past two weeks were fatal to many people.
The president did not say whether security forces were responsible for the 51 civilians killed. However, he emphasized that the 11 policemen and 7 soldiers were killed by the protesters.
Security forces shoot protesters
The #EndSARS protests in Africa’s largest economy have been going on for two weeks. The situation escalated on Tuesday when security forces allegedly fired at protesters at a toll booth in the economic metropolis of Lagos. On Wednesday and Thursday there were demonstrations and violence in the city, including in a prison, despite the current curfew. The situation remained calm on Friday.
At the international level, there has recently been criticism for the brutal action taken by alleged security forces against protesters, including the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, the EU Foreign Affairs representative, Josep Borrell, and the high commissioner of the UN for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.
Dissolution of the elite unit cannot stop the protests
The protests were sparked by a video showing an officer from the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) elite unit killing a young man and circulating on social media. The protests quickly spread internationally under the hashtag #EndSARS and also led to protest rallies abroad. President Buhari on Friday lamented that protesters continue their protests despite the dissolution of the controversial elite unit.
Instead of canceling the protests, they encouraged further action and gradually turned violent. The advisory did not mention whether anyone was responsible for the deaths. However, damage to property was said to have continued and thousands of detainees were released from detention centers during the riots. One of Nigeria’s largest prisons was burned down on Thursday.
