World Protest Erupts at Nigerian Ambassador's House in Maryland Over Killing of Protesters in Lagos

After soldiers in Lagos, Nigeria reportedly opened fire on a demonstration against police brutality on Tuesday, protesters arrived at the U.S. Nigerian ambassador's residence calling for justice.

© Benson Ibeabuchi/AFP/Getty Individuals protesting against police brutality in Lagos, Nigeria blocked some thoroughfares on Tuesday.

Protests began in October in Lagos against the special police force known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). According to Amnesty International, SARS is "notorious for the widespread torture and other ill-treatment of Nigerians." Tuesday's shootings occurred in the Lekki district of Lagos, the largest city in Africa. While a confirmed number of casualties has yet to be released, witnesses at the scene told Reuters that at least two people had been struck by gunfire.

Lagos at standstill as Nigeria protests spiral

Nigerian protesters paralysed Africa's biggest city Lagos on Monday, blocking the airport as widespread demonstrations sparked by police brutality spiralled. Footage seen by AFP showed hundreds of mainly young protesters waving flags and placards as they marched outside the international departures terminal in the economic hub. The wave of demonstrations began some 10 days ago when crowds took to the streets over abuses by the police's loathedFootage seen by AFP showed hundreds of mainly young protesters waving flags and placards as they marched outside the international departures terminal in the economic hub.

Lagos , Nigeria (CNN) Protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Nigeria to demand urgent action to In Lagos on Monday a coalition of rights groups marched to the state parliament calling for it to declare Protest against rape & sexual assault at the Lagos House of Assembly @WARNigeria

Nigerians take part in a protest against violence, extortion and harassment from Nigeria ' s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), in Lagos on Tales of stray bullets killing bystanders as officers open fire in crowded markets abound. The protests have highlighted SARS crimes by amplifying the voices

Nigerians gathered in front of the Maryland home of Sylvanius Adiewere Nsofor Nigeria's Ambassador to the U.S. Tuesday to protest the violence. Video posted on social media showed the crowd and one voice can be heard to say, "My son is never coming back. My son is dead."

This video contains strong language which may be deemed objectionable by some readers. Discretion is advised.

Nigerians in DMV are currently gathered at the Potomac, Maryland residence of Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States to protest the killing of peaceful protestors in Lagos today.

#EndSARS pic.twitter.com/khgP2QkLBJ

— Olatunde Bakare #ENDSARS (@Backarray) October 21, 2020

Amnesty International Nigeria tweeted that it had received "credible but disturbing evidence of excessive use of force occasioning deaths of protestors" in the Lagos protests on Tuesday.

The Nigerian protests are about much more than police violence

SARS’s abuse reflects the moral bankruptcy of the system the corrupt Nigerian ruling elite has put in place.But the Nigerian youth know better. This was the fifth time in as many years that this thorny unit had been “reformed” or “disbanded” and it is abundantly clear that the government is not serious about tackling police violence. The scepticism of protestors proved justified, as on October 13 Adamu announced the creation of a new unit – Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) – to replace SARS.

Just over a week into protests to dissolve Nigeria ’ s notorious special anti-robbery squad (SARS), Nigerian demonstrators have vowed on social media to At least 11 people have died so far. Nigeria ' s mass #EndSARS protests , like those seen here in Lagos , attracted international attention on social

Nigeria has been rocked by more than two weeks of protests against the Sars police unit. A group of people armed with guns and machetes opened fire at the time Mr Oyetola was addressing the protesters in the Osun state capital Osogbo - after he had marched and sang with them.

Newsweek reached out to the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Washington, D.C. for comment.

Calls for the disbanding of SARS begin in 2018 after Nigerians reported they had been harassed by the squad. Allegedly, some SARS members have engaged in extortion and jailing individuals who could not give them any money. In October, a video surfaced on social media which purported to show an individual being beaten by SARS officers.

In October, the office of the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, said that SARS had been "dissolved with immediate effect" and that members of the squad would be redeployed. Despite that announcement, protests continued as people called for an end to brutality throughout the police force. On Tuesday, public officials called a 24-hour curfew on Lagos in an attempt to quell the protests.

Violence against protesters led some U.S. celebrities to voice their support for the demonstrators on social media using the hashtag #EndSARS.

Outrage in Nigeria after peaceful protesters shot at: Live news

Unrest spreads in Lagos a day after witnesses, rights groups say soldiers fired at crowd of protesters.Human Rights Watch has called on authorities to withdraw soldiers from the streets and hold accountable those responsible for using forces against peaceful demonstrations.

READ ALSO: #EndSARS Protests : Speak up now, Nigeria on a time bomb, NUJ tells Buhari. The Senate also asked the Nigerian youths and the Nigerian citizens to approach the National Assembly Committees on Constitutional Reforms Breaking: Sanwo-Olu imposes 24 hours curfew in Lagos 52.

Despite Ban, Abuja EndSARS Protesters Shut Down Federal Secretariat / EndSARS: Gridlock In Lagos As Youths protesting against police brutality and bad governance in Nigeria have blocked entrances into the Lagos Of a truth, Thugs and irresponsible fellows are fast taking over this protest .

"Standing with & praying for the brave young people of Nigeria who are on the front lines of this senseless violence," performer Nicki Minaj tweeted Tuesday. "Your voice is being heard."

Standing with & praying for the brave young people of Nigeria who are on the front lines of this senseless violence. Your voice is being heard. 🇳🇬 #EndSARS

— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) October 20, 2020

"I'm calling on @mbuhari and the @hqnigerianarmy to stop killing young #EndSARS protesters," tweeted Hillary Clinton.

I’m calling on @mbuhari and the @hqnigerianarmy to stop killing young #EndSARS protesters. #StopNigeriaGovernment

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 20, 2020

On Monday, protesters overran a prison in Southern Nigeria and set the prisoners free. According to tweets from the Nigeria Police Force, protesters carried weapons and munitions away from the prison's armory. Some sections of the prison were set on fire.

After the prison break, Nigerian Correctional Service public relations officer DCC AC Njoku said in a Monday statement that Buhari's administration would "leave no stone unturned in ensuring adequate dispensation of justice for all."

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