Nigerian police fire tear gas at anniversary of protest

LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigerian constabulary officers fired teardrop state astatine protesters successful Lagos, the country’s largest city, arsenic they tried to disperse hundreds of radical demonstrating against constabulary brutality connected Wednesday.

One twelvemonth ago, thousands marched successful Nigeria for the #EndSARS question to protestation the activities of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a portion accused of constabulary brutality.

The constabulary connected Wednesday fired teardrop state astatine the Lekki tollgate successful Lagos, a cardinal tract of those protests, according to witnesses and video changeable by The Associated Press.

While radical ran away, 1 serviceman changeable astatine a protester successful a bid to apprehension him, according to Lawrence Akinkpelumi.

Police brutality successful Nigeria is rife and constabulary often clamp down connected Nigerians demonstrating against specified abuses. In the days starring up to Wednesday’s demonstration, constabulary warned protesters against immoderate nationalist gatherings, threatening to apprehension anyone who disobeyed the directive.

Protesters marched done the Lekki tollgate, chanting and singing songs calling connected authorities to guarantee justness for those they accidental were arrested and killed by information forces past twelvemonth during the #EndSARS protests.

Four protesters were initially arrested successful Lagos conscionable arsenic demonstrators started to get astatine the Lekki tollgate to people the anniversary. More were arrested and enactment into constabulary vans arsenic constabulary changeable teargas into the air.

Shuaibu Yakubu, 23, said the teardrop state besides got into his eyes.

“They started shooting teardrop state astatine america and chasing radical who came present to retrieve those killed successful October 2020. All my eyes are afloat of teargas,” helium said.