Nigerian Police Deploy in Lagos Before Anniversary of Protest
Nigerian Police Deploy in Lagos Before Anniversary of Protest
Nigerian security forces were deployed in the commercial capital amid calls by activists on social media to commemorate the one-year anniversary of a protest in which dozens of people died.
Dozens of police and an armored-personnel carrier were sent to the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, the main venue of last year’s largely leaderless demonstrations against acts of brutality perpetuated by the police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad. At least 51 civilians and 22 policemen died when the mostly peaceful gatherings degenerated into rioting, resulting in a crackdown by the security forces.
Calls for a rally on Thursday to honor those who were killed trended on Twitter under the hashtags #OccupyLekkiTollGate and #EndSARSMemorial. Despite Twitter being banned in the West African nation, many Nigerians can still access it using virtual private networks.
Many of the victims of the violence are awaiting justice a year later, Human Rights Watch said in an emailed statement Tuesday. “The prospects for accountability remain inconclusive and bleak,” it said.
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