Nigeria: after a "bloody Tuesday", violence continues in Lagos
Injured at Lagos hospital during the visit of the governor of the state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
October 21, 2020. Ademola Olaniran / Lagos State Government / Handout via REUTERS
Text by: RFI Follow
5 mins
Nigeria wakes up in shock, the day after a "Black Tuesday", "a bloody Tuesday", as the newspapers headline, marked by an eruption of violence across the country and particularly in the megalopolis of Lagos.
In this big city, the security forces brutally dispersed the young people demonstrating against the police violence, killing several people according to Amnesty International.
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With our correspondent in Abuja
,
Liza Fabbia
n
Many residents are sealed off at their homes in Lagos, a city - and state - of 20 million inhabitants where the curfew, in effect since Tuesday evening, has just been extended for 72 hours.
This Wednesday, looting and fires are reported in several neighborhoods, where many streets are blocked by makeshift roadblocks erected by angry gangs.
Banks and a toll booth were also set on fire in the business districts, near the place where the security forces intervened Tuesday evening to disperse, with live ammunition, the demonstrators who had occupied a major axis for more than a week.
The latter were protesting against police brutality and demonstrating for good governance in their country.
The security forces opened fire this evening at #lagos on the lekki toll, blocked for more than a week by young Nigerians protesting against police violence and bad governance.
#nigeria https://t.co/1RgQRSe54r
Liza Fabbian (@LizaFbb) October 20, 2020
Several buses were also set on fire at a bus station in the north of the city on Wednesday, the premises of a local television set went up in smoke and men targeted the palace of a traditional Lagos chief in the heart of the city. .
There are also reports of sporadic police shootings in other areas of the megalopolis, a priori to enforce the curfew in force since Tuesday.
Five states under curfew
But it's not just in Lagos that the situation is volatile.
Now, five of the 36 Nigerian states in the country are under curfew.
This did not prevent some demonstrators from taking to the streets again on Wednesday, especially in Edo State, where the curfew has been extended for an indefinite period.
The situation has been extremely tense since Monday in this state, where nearly 2,000 detainees have been released by gangs of thugs, according to the authorities.
The governor of Edo state said anyone stepping out onto the streets should face riot police, who were deployed across Nigeria on Wednesday evening.
Despite this outbreak of violence, President Muhammadu Buhari has still not spoken publicly.
Among the political reactions, we note that of the governor of Lagos, who spoke and broadcast photos of his visit to a hospital in the city.
He confirmed the death of one person and officially reported about 20 injured.
"
It is the most difficult night of our lives
," said Babajide Sanwo-Olu, "
forces over which we have no control have darkened our history
."
Joe Biden's call
The governor said an investigation would be opened following Tuesday night's shooting at the Lekki tollgate, which took place two hours before the official start of the curfew in Lagos.
This is the toughest night of our lives as forces beyond our direct control have moved to make dark notes in our history, but we will face it and come out stronger.
I've just concluded visits to hospitals with victims of this unfortunate shooting incident at Lekki.
pic.twitter.com/r5idAn9Pxw
Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) October 21, 2020
As for army officials, they refuse to comment on any intervention on their part in the megalopolis, despite numerous videos showing the soldiers in action near the meeting place plunged a few minutes earlier in absolute darkness.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden issued a statement on Wednesday asking "
President Buhari and the Nigerian military to end its crackdown on protesters in Nigeria, which has already caused many deaths
."
At least 18 people, including two police officers, have died since the start of the peaceful Nigerian youth movement, which eventually descended into chaos.
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