LAGOS (NIGERIA) – On Wednesday, the Nigerian city of Lagos remained under round-the-clock curfew with police manning the streets. Smoke spiralled out of a flashpoint area in the city where troops had opened fire on protesters the previous evening.
The state governor said 30 people were hurt in the shooting, at a toll gate in the Lekki district of the commercial capital on Tuesday evening.
Four witnesses said soldiers had fired the bullets and at least two people had been shot. In a Twitter post, the Nigerian Army said no soldiers were at the scene.
On Wednesday, a witness saw smoke rising from around the Lekki toll gate area.
Thousands of Nigerians have demonstrated nationwide every day for nearly two weeks against a police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), that rights groups had for years accused of extortion, harassment, torture and murders.
Authorities imposed the 24-hour curfew on Lagos on Tuesday after the state governor said the protests had turned violent.
On Wednesday, Police had set up roadblocks in the city and were not allowing vehicles to pass, although there were a few cars and people walking, said witnesses.
They said some of the police were armed and wore body armour. Witnesses also heard the sound of gunfire in the Okota and Ebute Metta areas of mainland Lagos.