Youth in Nigeria keen to keep their demands of transformation in justice system

The youth in Nigeria says it will not back down from its demand for transformation in the justice system. Thousands of young people have taken to the streets of the capital city Lagos against police brutality citing abuse by the police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The government there has since scrapped the unit.

Protesters blocked roads bringing the economic hub, to a standstill. At least ten people have died and dozens injured in the demonstrations, which have been met with force by police units.

SABC Channel Africa reporter Collins Nosa Atohengbe says authorities have pledged to hold officers who have committed abuses accountable.

“They arrest people without arrest warrants, they stop you on the way you have your private phone, they take it, they are rummaging through your phone. They see you with a laptop you are a suspect for them.”

“They are going to continue because in one of their explanations that I got was the fact that they do not expect people who benefit from the same system to be able to effect changes they want a complete overhaul. So you can be sure that there’s gonna be a long day of protesting. The government has already begun to make a certain statement towards reformation,” adds Atohengbe.