Protesters break curfew amid gunfire, chaos
LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigerian protesters demanding an end to police brutality defied a curfew and faced off with security forces Wednesday as gunfire rang out and fires burned in Lagos, a day after shots were fired into a crowd of demonstrators singing the country’s national anthem.
It’s not clear how many protesters were killed in Tuesday night’s shooting at the Lekki toll plaza in the West African country’s sprawling commercial capital. Lagos’ governor said many were injured and one person had died, but that it was not certain if he was a protester.
Amnesty International and the U. N.’ s high commissioner for human rights both said security forces were responsible for multiple deaths. The military has denied it was responsible, amid global outrage over the shooting.
Gunfire reverberated across Lagos on Wednesday, including at the Lekki toll plaza, where young demonstrators were rallying again despite an order for everyone to stay off the streets until further notice.
Police also fired tear gas at bands of demonstrators and smoke could be seen billowing from several areas in the city’s center. Two private TV stations were forced off the air at least temporarily as their offices were burned.
Demonstrations and gunfire were also reported in several other Nigerian cities, including the capital city, Abuja.
Young people have taken to the streets for more than two weeks after anger over heavyhanded policing flared in response to a video of a man being beaten, apparently by officers with the Special AntiRobbery Squad, known as SARS.
In response to the # EndSARS movement, the government announced it would disband the unit, which Amnesty International says has been responsible for many cases of torture and killings. But that has failed to satisfy demonstrators, who are now demanding more widespread reforms to end human rights abuses committed by security forces of all stripes and pervasive government corruption.
Though Nigeria has massive oil wealth, and is one of Africa’s largest economies, many of its more than 200 million people face high levels of poverty and lack basic services — because of rampant graft, according to rights groups.