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Relative calm has returned to Nigerian cities after more than two weeks of deadly protests against police brutality and widespread anger over the shooting at peaceful protesters.
In Lagos, the country’s commercial center and epicenter of the protests, authorities relaxed the 24-hour curfew on Saturday, while the streets of the capital Abuja gradually returned to normal.
With Lagos residents allowed to leave their homes between 8 am and 6 pm local time, some decided to go out and help government workers clean the streets and buildings damaged by the arsonists.
“The level of destruction is shocking. We cannot leave everything to the government, ”said Chinwendu Madubuike, a Lagos resident.
“Lagos belongs to all of us. We are not happy with the destruction of buildings and the burning of shops. What we can do is clean up the mess and start to rebuild what has been destroyed, “added Madubuike.
But others decided to boycott the cleanup exercise despite online appeals from some volunteers.
“Young people have been on the streets protesting peacefully for over a week and cleaning up our mess day and night,” said businesswoman Chelsea Balls.
“As much as I would love to clean up my condition and have my condition return to normal, we young people did not make that mess, the government-hired thugs did,” the 36-year-old added.
Protesters against police violence have long expressed their fear that rioters could be used to disrupt the peaceful character of their movement and create conditions that would justify a security crackdown on them. On Tuesday, hours after the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced a 24-hour curfew, citing what he described as the degeneration of the demonstrations “into a monster”, peaceful protesters who were they had met at a toll gate in the Lekki district of Lagos. in defiance of the measures they were fired.
Witnesses and rights groups said the soldiers opened fire on the protesters. The army maintains that its men were not involved. Amnesty International said at least 12 protesters were killed by the army and police in Lekki and Alausa, another area of Lagos, on Tuesday.
As tensions escalated, the gangs on Wednesday vandalized public buildings, burned private businesses, police stations, media and courthouses.
“Our beautiful city has experienced a level of destruction almost similar to a war zone,” Sanwo-Olu tweeted after visiting some of the sites that were attacked.
“It was a shocking and very sad show. Our land took a beating and it hurts. Historic buildings, cultural centers, private shopping centers, government properties and private businesses were looted and burned, ”added Sanwo-Olu, whose government has pledged to support business owners targeted by gangs.
“Lagos will not burn. Not on my shift. Enough is enough. We want peace and we will get it. “
Demonstrations against police abuses
In early October, peaceful protests broke out against police brutality in Nigeria, demanding the dismantling of the Special Anti-Theft Squad (SARS), a notorious police unit accused of torture, extortion, harassment and even extrajudicial killings.
On October 11, authorities announced the dissolution of SARS, but protesters were unconvinced of the announcement and said they would remain on the streets until their demands were met, including the release of jailed protesters and the implementation of structural reforms of the application of the law.
On Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari said 51 civilians were killed in the riots and blamed “vandalism” for the violence, while claiming that the security forces used “extreme restraint”.
Buhari said 11 policemen and seven soldiers had also been killed by “rioters” and another 37 civilians were injured as of Thursday. He did not mention the shooting against peaceful protesters in Lagos that sparked international outrage.
In Abuja, gang attacks on Monday and Tuesday killed at least eight, according to police. Vehicles were also burned in the riots, forcing many business owners to close their stores.
On Saturday, a growing number of stores opened on Saturday.
Elsewhere, however, pockets of violence and looting were still reported in parts of Nigeria, including Plateau, Oyo and Cross River states.
Meanwhile, videos of people looting COVID-19 palliative warehouses in various cities have been widely shared online in recent days.
The clips show residents fighting over bags of grain and other food that were supposedly intended for distribution during the coronavirus shutdown.
Moreover, several state governments said they have established judicial investigation panels to try police officers accused of abuses.
If you are a Lagos-based business and your store was looted / vandalized this week, please complete this form before @LSETF https://t.co/lwPiXvFzTp
Let’s do what we can to help you. #HealingLakes
– Obafemi Hamzat (@drobafemihamzat) October 23, 2020
Source: aljazeera.com
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