12 Oct 2021 | 09:55 AM UTC
Nigeria: Anti-police protests likely nationwide through October commemorations
Anti-police protests likely across Nigeria through end of October. Disruptions likely, clashes possible.
Event
Anti-police demonstrations are likely nationwide through the end of October amid anniversaries of the #EndSARS movement and related protests in October 2020. Organizers have not yet confirmed the specific times and locations of the protests. However, a high-profile NGO activist has called for protests in Lagos and across Nigeria on Oct. 20 specifically. Police authorities in Lagos and Osun states have already warned that they would not tolerate any gatherings and use whatever means necessary to quell the planned protests. Likely protest locations include main city centers such as Lagos and Abuja. In Lagos State, participants may gather at the former epicenter of the protests in Lekki Toll Gate on Oct. 20.
Police will certainly deploy to monitor any protest sites that materialize and may use force to disperse protesters. Clashes between protesters and security forces are possible. Increased security measures, including movement restrictions, will likely prompt transport and business disruptions at protest sites.
Context
The #EndSARS social media campaign initially started in 2017 to demand the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Unit (SARS) police unit. The movement grew in October 2020 and mass protests were held across Nigeria, with demonstrations leading to several fatal clashes between protesters and security forces. Authorities implemented security restrictions, including curfews, in several areas such Lagos, Osun, and Ekiti states. On October 20, Nigerian security forces opened fired at protesters in Lekki, Lagos State, killing an unspecified number of persons (casualty toll ranges from two to 12 deaths). Related unrest has sporadically continued despite the dismantlement of the police unit.
Advice
Liaise with trusted contacts regarding protest sites and maintain contact with your diplomatic mission. Avoid all protests due to the potential for clashes. Allow extra time for travel near demonstration sites. Heed the instructions of local security personnel and leave the area immediately if violence breaks out nearby.
