Nigerian security forces on Tuesday opened fire on demonstrators protesting against police brutality in the country's largest city, Lagos.
Videos shared on social media showed security forces, including soldiers, firing live rounds at crowds of protesters as DJ Switch, a popular artist in the country who was broadcasting live on Instagram at the scene, said seven people were killed.
Police at Mushin Lagos shooting directly at protesters yesterday. @AishaYesufu @BankyW @guardiannews @MBuhari pic.twitter.com/Im9fctuOFZ
— abdul-abdul (@alayaabdul1) October 21, 2020
Lagos state government said it would investigate the shootings.
Witnesses said the shootings took place around 7 p.m. as pickup trucks arrived at Lagos' Lekki toll gate and fired bullets and tear gas at a crowd.
Tuesday's shootings came after Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos state, instituted a curfew beginning at 4 p.m. in response to the protests.
"Lives and limbs have been lost as criminals and miscreants are now hiding under the umbrella of these protests to unleash mayhem on our state," he wrote on Twitter.
The protests in Lagos began with a call to disband the police force known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad that has long been accused of extra-judicial killings, torture and extortion.
SARS has since been dissolved but protests have continued to rally against systemic abuse by Nigerian police forces and the announcement of the new police unit to replace SARS, the Special Weapons and Tactics team, has also sparked outrage.
Protesters have also faced attacks from people wielding machetes, knives and clubs, and the Nigerian Army last week warned it was prepared to step in against "subversive elements and troublemakers."
This article has been adapted from its original source.
