United Nations has urged the Nigerian government to end the killing of protesters against police brutality in Nigeria.
A statement by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, signed by his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said “I’ve been asked about the ongoing protests in Nigeria and I can tell you that the Secretary-General is following the protests in Nigeria calling for the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and an end to human rights violations allegedly committed by security agencies.”
“The Secretary-General stresses the importance of respect for peaceful protests and freedom of assembly and calls on the security forces to exercise maximum restraint in the policing of the demonstrations.
“The Secretary-General welcomes the decision by the Government of Nigeria to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Unit and undertake broader police reforms. He expresses the readiness of the United Nations to accompany Nigeria in those efforts,” the UN said.
On her part, Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, said “The UN & I are following the protests in #Nigeria calling for an end to human rights violations.
Mohammed, also a former Nigerian Minister of the Environment, said “I join the #UNSG in stressing the importance of respect for peaceful protests & freedom of assembly & call on the security forces to exercise maximum restraint.”
Also, Joe Biden, US presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to cease the violent crackdown on #EndSARS protesters.
In a statement on Wednesday, Biden asked the federal government to engage in dialogue with the civil society in order to address citizens’ grievances.
He added that the United States must show solidarity with Nigerians who are peacefully seeking police reform and asking for an end to corruption.
“I urge President Buhari and the Nigerian military to cease the violent crackdown on protesters in Nigeria, which has already resulted in several deaths,” he said.
“My heart goes out to all those who have lost a loved one in the violence. The United States must stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption in their democracy.
“I encourage the government to engage in a good-faith dialogue with civil society to address these long-standing grievances and work together for a more just and inclusive Nigeria.”
