Nigeria's Lagos under 24-hour lockdown after protesters fired on

By Angela Ukomadu and Alexis Akwagyiram
LAGOS, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Lagos was under lockdown on
Wednesday as a heavy police presence enforced a round-the-clock
curfew, hours after soldiers opened fire on protesters in
Nigeria's biggest city, witnesses said.
The state governor said 30 people were hurt in the shooting,
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.
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, two Reuters witnesses said.
The SARS unit was disbanded on Oct. 11 but the protests have
persisted with demonstrators calling for law enforcement
reforms. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu tweeted pictures of
him visiting people in hospital who were victims of what he
referred to as the "unfortunate shooting incident" in Lekki, an
upmarket district where the toll gate has been the site of daily
protests.
He said 25 people were being treated for mild to moderate
injuries, two were receiving intensive care and three had been
discharged.
"I recognise the buck stops at my table and I will work with
the FG (federal government) to get to the root of this
unfortunate incident and stabilise all security operations to
protect the lives of our residents," said Sanwo-Olu, adding that
he would give a broadcast on Wednesday morning.
Nigerian army spokesman did not respond to requests for
comment.