Police Allegedly Attack #EndSARS Protesters in Surulere, Two Killed
At least two people were reported killed in Surulere, Lagos State, on Monday as police moved to disperse #EndSARS protesters demonstrating against police brutality.
The identities of the victims were not immediately known, and it remained unclear whether both were directly participating in the protest when they were shot.
Video footage shared on social media showed one of the victims lying in a pool of blood while members of a medical team attending to protesters attempted to resuscitate him. He was later reported dead and his body was taken to a nearby hospital.
The incident occurred amid growing demonstrations across several parts of Nigeria calling for an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS.
The protests, which had intensified in the preceding days, were driven by longstanding allegations of harassment, extortion, intimidation and extrajudicial killings involving some SARS operatives.
Demonstrators demanded the disbandment of the unit and greater accountability for police officers accused of abuses.
The Federal Government and police authorities had previously announced measures aimed at reforming SARS, but protesters argued that earlier promises had failed to address the underlying problems.
The reported deaths in Surulere further heightened tensions surrounding the demonstrations and intensified public calls for an independent investigation into the use of force against protesters.
