Nigerian Government to set up teams to probe police brutality

Nigeria’s government has ordered the setting up of judicial panels in all the 36 states to investigate allegations of police brutality.

The panels will receive and investigate complaints of police brutality, including those linked to the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, known as SARS.

The panels will also investigate incidents of police using excessive force against protesters since demonstrations started last week.

This is in addition to an independent panel of investigation to be set up by Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission.

Thousands of Nigerians have been protesting in major cities against police brutality.

Rights groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned the use of force against demonstrators during the initial days of the protests.

They have called for police reforms and the prosecution of those responsible for brutality.

Amnesty said some 10 people were killed in the protests and hundreds injured.

The governor of one of the most popular Nigerian city and business hub, Lagos, named the police officers who allegedly opened fire on protesters and  said that they have been arrested and are being tried.

The governor also said that his team had established a 200m naira ($521,000; £404,000) fund to compensate victims of police brutality.

However, the demonstrators appear unsatisfied.

The federal government has banned protests in the capital, Abuja, citing public safety measures to tackle COVID-19.

Demonstrations against police brutality have taken place in cities across Nigeria in the past week. The protests have continued despite authorities agreeing to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The unit has been accused of extrajudicial killings, extortion and torture, especially of young people.