UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday added his voice to the growing worldwide condemnation of the authorities in Nigeria for the killing of unarmed protesters in Lagos by the security forces during demonstrations against police brutality and abuses.
His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said: ‘He condemns the violent escalation on 20 October in Lagos which resulted in multiple deaths and caused many injuries.
‘He expresses his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.
‘He calls on the Nigerian authorities to investigate these incidents and hold the perpetrators accountable,’ the spokesman added.
Calling for ‘an end to reported police brutality and abuses’, Dujarric said the secretary-general ‘urges the security forces to act at all times with maximum restraint while calling on protestors to demonstrate peacefully and to refrain from violence’.
‘The secretary-general encourages the authorities to swiftly explore avenues to de-escalate the situation.
‘He reiterates the readiness of the United Nations to support national efforts towards finding a solution,’ Dujarric said.