UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an end police brutality in Nigeria following two weeks of citizen protests.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, he condemned “the violent escalation on 20 October in Lagos which resulted in multiple deaths and caused many injuries.”
The Secretary-General further urged the security forces to “act at all times with maximum restraint.”
Mr. Guterres said the UN was ready to support Nigeria’s ” efforts towards finding a solution” but encouraged its authorities to “swiftly explore avenues to de-escalate the situation.”
“He expresses his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured. He calls on the Nigerian authorities to investigate these incidents and hold the perpetrators accountable,” the statement added.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief has condemned the killing of protesters demonstrating against police brutality in Nigeria, and has called for justice.
Josep Borrell is quoted by AFP as saying:
It is alarming to learn that several people have been killed and injured during the ongoing protests against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Nigeria
This adds another voice to increasing condemnation of the crackdown from politicians around the world.
US presidential candidate Joe Biden said his “heart goes out to all those who have lost a loved one in the violence”.
In a tweet, Former US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton asked Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian army to “stop killing young #EndSARS protesters”.
The issue has also been brought up in the UK’s House of Commons by Labour MP Stephen Doughty who asked if the government will be urgently speaking with the Nigerian high commissioner.
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Files from the BBC contributed to this report
