EUR/USD likely to find a peak near 1.25: UBS
(Adds Lagos state governor and Lagos state police spokesman)
By Felix Onuah and Angela Ukomadu
ABUJA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Nigerian President Muhammadu
Buhari promised on Monday that the government would bring police
officers responsible for misconduct to justice, after nearly a
week of sustained protests against police brutality that were
met by a harsh response.
Police opened fire with live ammunition on Monday against
anti-police demonstrators in the Surulere district of Lagos,
marchers said. Video posted on Twitter showed dozens of chanting
protesters running and ducking behind cars and trucks for cover
as shots rang out.
Tolu Ogunlesi, an aide to Buhari, said at least one person
had been killed by police gunfire.
"There is no excuse for shooting anything (not to talk of
live bullets) at peaceful protesters," Ogunlesi tweeted. The
authorities "must find the shooters and make them face justice
in full".
Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Twitter that
he had received news of "casualties", but did not say how many.
He also said he would ensure that live rounds were not used at
protests, but called on protesters to "take a break" on Tuesday.
Images of one dead protester were posted on the internet. It
was at least the second fatality among marchers since the
demonstrations began last week. Police have responded to
demonstrations with live ammunition, water cannon and tear gas.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Lagos state police
spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi did not comment on whether officers
fired live rounds, but said "unscrupulous elements" among
protesters had killed a police officer, as well as a bystander
in Surulere, and injured two other officers.
Lagos police did not respond to phone calls and text
messages seeking comment.
Buhari promised "extensive police reforms". In a statement
on Monday he acknowledged "genuine concerns and agitations by
Nigerians about the excessive use of force and in some cases
extra-judicial killings and wrongful conduct of the men of the
Nigerian Police Force."
But he also described police misconduct as relegated to a
"few bad eggs".
On Sunday, authorities announced they were disbanding the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad police unit, known as SARS, the
target of demonstrators who accuse it of beating up and killing
Nigerians, and extorting from them.
Rights groups and protesters say they are unconvinced by the
promise to disband the unit, noting similar announcements had
been made in the past.
"We are not falling for the same lies. We need a timeline
when they will turn in their badges, their weapons and their
uniforms," said Akunna Nwaogwugwu, a sales executive, who was
among a group of protesters on Monday that blocked the path of
military vans in the Lekki district of Lagos.
She called for an executive order from Buhari to confirm
that the unit had been disbanded.