LAGOS (Reuters) – Lagos, under a 24-hour curfew imposed Wednesday through a strong police presence, as smoke rose from a flashpoint in Nigeria’s largest city, where infantrymen had opened fire to protesters the night before, witnessed.
The state governor said another 30 people were injured in the shooting at a toll booth in the Lekki district of the advertising capital Tuesday night.
Four witnesses said infantrymen fired the bullets and at least two others were shot. In a Twitter message, the Nigerian army said there were no infantrymen on site.
On Wednesday, a witness saw smoke come out around the Lekki toll area.
Thousands of Nigerians demonstrated every day across the country for about two weeks opposing a police unit, the Special Anti-Theft Squadron (SARS), which human rights teams had accused for years of extortion, harassment, torture and murder.
Authorities imposed a 24-hour curfew in Lagos on Tuesday after the state governor said the protests had been violent.
On Wednesday, police placed roadblocks in the city and did not allow cars to pass, there were some cars and others walking, two Reuters witnesses said.
They said some police officers were armed and dressed in bulletproof vests. Witnesses also heard the sound of gunfire in the Okota and Ebute Metta regions of Lagos mainland.
“THE BUCK STOPS AT MY TABLE”
The SARS unit disbanded on October 11, but protests persisted and protesters called for law enforcement reforms.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu tweeted photos of him visiting others at the hospital who suffered what he called an “unfortunate shooting” in Lekki, a luxury community where the number of victims was the scene of daily protests.
He said 25 other people were being treated for mild to moderate injuries, two were receiving intensive care and three had been released.
“I recognize that duty is at my table and I will work with the FG (federal government) to get to the root of this unfortunate incident and stabilize all security operations in the lives of our residents,” Sanwo-Olu said, adding that it would broadcast Wednesday morning.
Those who attended the demonstration on Tuesday night said the soldiers shot them dead.
Inyene Akpan, a 26-year-old photographer, said that more than 20 infantrymen arrived at the Lekki toll booth and opened fire and said she saw two other people being shot.
Akinbosola Ogunsanya, a third witness, said he saw a dozen others being shot. Ogunsanya, who said the lights had gone out for a while before the infantrymen arrived, also said he saw infantry corps.
Another witness, Chika Dibia, said infantrymen surrounded others as they were shot.
A spokesman for the Nigerian army responded to requests for comment.
Nigeria’s sovereign euro bonds fell more than 2 cents from Wednesday’s after the shooting.
(Report via Angela Ukomadu, Alexis Akwagyiram and Libthrough George in Lagos; edited through John Stonestreet)
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