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Images posted on social media show several hundred people demonstrating, defying the curfew imposed hours earlier by the authorities.
Soldiers have opened fire on protesters gathered at a protest site in Lagos that has been the epicenter of widespread demonstrations against police brutality in Nigeria, according to several witnesses.
Amnesty International also said in a statement Tuesday that it had received “credible but disturbing evidence of the excessive use of force that resulted in the deaths of protesters at the Lekki tollbooth in Lagos”, adding that it was investigating “the killings”.
Three witnesses told Reuters News Agency that soldiers fired at protesters who had gathered in the Lekki district of Nigeria’s largest city, in defiance of an indefinite curfew imposed hours earlier by authorities. Hundreds of people were at the scene at the time of the shooting, which according to witnesses took place around 7 pm (18:00 GMT).
“They started firing ammunition into the crowd. They were shooting at the crowd, ”said Alfred Ononugbo, 55, a security officer. “I saw that the bullet hit one or two people,” he said.
Inyene Akpan, a 26-year-old photographer, said more than 20 soldiers arrived at the Lekki tollbooth and opened fire. He said he saw two people being shot. Akinbosola Ogunsanya, a third witness, also told Reuters that he saw soldiers remove bodies.
#Light #LekkiProtest #Lekkitollgate #Lakes#Nigeria#EndSARS pic.twitter.com/yxqhtbVgmU
– Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) October 20, 2020
Scenes of protesters pulling a bullet out of someone’s wound and calling for help were broadcast live on Instagram by DJ Switch, a popular disc jockey. Gunfire and sirens could be heard on video filmed near the toll gate.
There was no immediate comment from the Nigerian military. Gboyega Akosile, a spokesman for the governor of Lagos state, said in a Twitter post that authorities had ordered an investigation.
They’re still shooting at the lekki toll gate! pic.twitter.com/jQlvEuJ1Ee
– Free spirit. (Uncle W) (@ DimejiWilliams1) October 20, 2020
Earlier Tuesday, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alleged that criminals had seized the protest movement “to unleash chaos” when he announced the curfew.
When the 24-hour restrictions took effect at 4 pm (15:00 GMT), protesters in Lagos sang the national anthem and vowed to remain in the streets.
“Are you afraid?” a man yelled at the crowd waving flags from a stage. “We will stay here in peace,” protester Akin, 32, told AFP. “This is our new home.”
On Tuesday separately, the national police chief ordered the immediate deployment of anti-riot forces across the country following the increase in attacks on police facilities, according to a police spokesman.
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets every day for almost two weeks in Nigeria to demand an end to police violence.
The protests, organized under the hashtag #EndSARS, began with calls to dismantle a notorious police unit, the Special Anti-Theft Squad (SARS), which has long been accused of extortion, torture and extrajudicial killings.
After days of widespread demonstrations, the authorities announced the dissolution of SARS and then ordered all personnel to report to the police headquarters in Abuja for information and psychological and medical examinations.
Meanwhile, the formation of a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to replace SARS was announced.
However, the announcements did not satisfy the protesters, who saw them as yet another exercise in name change and vowed to remain on the streets until promises were fulfilled and their demands were met, including the release of those arrested.
On Monday, Amnesty said at least 15 people have died since the protests began.
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