Nigeria: protests against police violence increase

Protesters demand the dismantling of a controversial police unit in Ikeja, October 9, 2020. PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Protests against police violence are on the rise in Nigeria.

For a week, the country's social networks have been mobilized by the hashtag "EndSARS", calling for the dissolution of the special unit for the repression of thefts and robberies, accused of serious human rights violations.

The online mobilization is impressive, and is at the top of the most discussed topics on Twitter globally.

But since Thursday, Nigerian youth is also present in the streets.

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With our correspondent in Lagos,

Liza Fabbian

This Saturday, new demonstrations took place in Lagos and Abuja, but also in other provinces of the country.

The demonstrators - mostly from the middle class - marched to the door of the house of the vice-governor of Lagos in the upscale neighborhoods of the city.

There were a few hundred of them blocking traffic, holding up paper signs.

Almost all of them have experienced or witnessed

violence from the Nigerian police

.

Komé recalls this traumatic experience.

“ 

It wasn't even late in the evening.

They stopped us in a quiet street, they took out their guns, pointed them at us without giving us any reason.

They shouted "get out of your car

!"

We had our hands in the air, we told them to search us, but they weren't listening to us

.

"

It is common

knowledge in Nigeria

that police officers target young people in particular, especially if they are well dressed and have dreadlocks, tattoos or piercings.

To the point of dissuading young people like Manolo from going out in the streets after dark.

We have to cover our hair, dress like we're poor, leave our phones at home, we have to hide our banking apps, because they search the phones and if they see you have money, they force you to withdraw from a distributor, before you crash there.

We live in fear.

 "

In a country where mobilization in the street is rare, young people are demanding only one thing: the right to live.

A wish that they all formulate, like Chiwendu: “ 

We are not asking them to repair our roads, we are not asking for electricity.

We are not asking for food, nor an end to inflation… We are just asking to be able to live freely in the country which is ours. 

"

On Twitter, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his willingness to reform the police.

A promise that the Nigerian government has never kept in the past.

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  • Nigeria

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