Protesters free nearly 2,000 inmates
LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigerian authorities said Tuesday that nearly 2,000 inmates had broken out of jail after crowds attacked two prisons, while officials announced a 24hour curfew in the megacity of Lagos in an attempt to quell the unrest stemming from two weeks of protests against police brutality.
The InspectorGeneral of Police deployed antiriot police across Africa’s most populous nation and ordered forces to strengthen security around Nigerian correctional facilities.
“The force will henceforth exercise the full powers of the law to prevent any further attempt on lives and property of citizens,” a police statement read.
Lagos State Gov. Babajide SanwoOlu warned on Twitter that the protests against police brutality in Nigeria have “degenerated into a monster that is threatening the wellbeing of our society.”
Interior Ministry spokesman Mohammed Manga said large, armed crowds had attacked two correctional facilities, subduing the guards on duty. At last count, 1,993 inmates were missing, he said Tuesday. It was unclear what the prisons’ exact populations had been before the attack.
“Most of the inmates held at the centers are convicted criminals serving terms for various criminal offenses, awaiting execution or standing trial for violent crimes,” he said in a statement.
The governor of Lagos state said the curfew would cover the entire city of some 14 million people and surrounding areas. The announcement came after a police station was burned down in the city and two people were shot dead by police.
The protests began two weeks ago after a video circulated showing a man being beaten, apparently by police officers of the Special AntiRobbery Squad, known as SARS.
Young protesters marched in cities across Nigeria, under the banner # EndSARS. In response, the government announced it would ban the antirobbery squad, which for several years human rights groups have blamed for widespread abuses, including torture and killings.
Protests continued Tuesday in many cities including Abuja the capital, where troops have been deployed.