Four protesters of #EndSARS were arrested on Friday in Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital, protesting against police brutality and extrajudicial killings, activists said.
Two weeks after the unrest over the issue rocked the country, footage on social media showed a small crowd taking to the street to keep up the pressure on the authorities after a bloody crackdown on unarmed protesters help stamp out demonstrations last month.
Rights activist, Deji Adeyanju told the AFP that, “Four of our members were arrested this morning in front of the National Assembly.”
Nigeria was swept for weeks of widespread protests in October, fueled by anger over police brutality and extrajudicial killings from the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The government disbanded the unit and pledged reforms but still struggled to contain the largest challenge to Nigeria’s governing elite in decades.
Amnesty International says 56 people died across the country, these included a dozen of peaceful protesters gunned down by the Nigerian army at the Lekki tollgate shootings in Lagos.
The bloodshed unleashed days of chaos and looting, some of which were COVID-19 palliatives hoarded by the authorities, in a string of cities, demonstration has then been stopped.
But activist Adeyanju insisted that the #EndSARS protests “will continue” until the demands of an overhaul are met.
Government opponent, Omoyele Sowore, commented that the arrest on Friday, is a testament that the police “will never learn”.
The police force in Abuja were not immediately available for comment.
