LONDON, 29 January, 2021 (TON): On Thursday, the non-governmental organization, Amnesty International has accused the Nigerian government of trying to cover up the killing of a dozen citizens during peaceful protests in Lagos last October.

Youth-led demonstrations in Nigeria began against police abuse, quickly spiraling into broader calls for reform.

The protests ended weeks later when the security forces shot at the demonstrators in Lagos, that killed at least 12 people, according to the rights groups.

The army at the judicial panel refused using live rounds however, the government promised to disband the police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that had been the main target of protests over brutality.

“Nigerian authorities have failed to bring to justice those suspected to be responsible for the brutal crackdown by security forces on peaceful #EndSARS protesters at Lekki toll gate and Alausa in Lagos in October 2020 and have brazenly attempted to cover up the violence,” Amnesty said.

“Since the assault by security forces, which killed at least 12 people, Nigerian authorities have targeted supporters of the protests against police brutality by the disbanded SARS,” Amnesty’s country director Osai Ojigho said in the statement, released to mark 100 days since the shootings.

She said the bank accounts of some of the movement’s supporters have had frozen.

The organization based in London has challenged the government of Nigeria to suspend the officials accused, pending investigations, and to ensure the victims’ access to justice.

The Lagos State government set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the bloodshed and wider allegations of abuses by SARS featuring testimony by the army that presented videos to back its claims in November 2020.

The government has promised a string of reforms in response to the protests, and disbanded SARS, replacing it with Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) forces.

The median age in Nigeria is 18, serves as a flashpoint while faces deep economic and social grievances and mostly the police violence over the demonstrations in the region.