The United States condemned the use of military force against protesters in Nigeria's city of Lagos and urged the nation's authorities to investigate the incident, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2020) The United States condemned the use of military force against protesters in Nigeria's city of Lagos and urged the nation's authorities to investigate the incident, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Thursday.
"The United States strongly condemns the use of excessive force by military forces who fired on unarmed demonstrators in Lagos, causing death and injury," Pompeo said. "We welcome an immediate investigation into any use of excessive force by members of the security forces."
All those responsible for the violence should be held to account in accordance with Nigerian law, he added.
Nigerian security forces on Wednesday opened fire on protesters in southwestern city of Lagos, killing several people and leaving many others wounded, local media reported.
The military reportedly began firing at protesters on Tuesday night after the authorities in Lagos State, which hosts the capital city, had imposed a 24-hour curfew in a bid to curb criminal activities under the umbrella of ongoing protests against police violence.
Pompeo called on the country's security forces to show "maximum restraint." He also urged the authorities to respect fundamental human rights and called for demonstrators to remain peaceful.
The #EndSARS rallies across Nigeria ignited after numerous claims implicated the country's Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit in acts of killings, torture and blackmail. The department was disbanded by the authorities and replaced with the Special Weapons And Tactics (Swat) squad. Nonetheless, the protests continued against other forms of police violence.
