LAGOS: Gunshots were fired, shops looted and a prison was set ablaze as fresh violence rocked Nigeria’s biggest city Lagos on Thursday after the shooting of protesters that drew international outrage.

The economic hub of 20 million has descended into chaos since Tuesday when security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters calling for better governance and an end to police brutality.

Amnesty International said Nigerian soldiers and police gunned down 12 demonstrators, while 56 have died overall across the country since a wave of protests began on Oct 8.

Pictures and videos from the shooting on a crowd of around 1,000 protesters in Lagos by security forces were widely shared on social media, unleashing a wave of anger that a round-the-clock curfew has failed to halt.

President Muhammadu Buhari was set to address the nation on the crisis, his office said, after fierce criticism of his failure to comment.

National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno said Buhari would propose “solutions” to the current crisis in the “next few hours”.

“Mr President has directed that government should do whatever is necessary in order to bring about an agreeable resolution to this crisis,” Monguno said after a meeting with Buhari.

The Nigerian government has faced international condemnation over the violence with the US slamming the “use of excessive force by military forces who fired on unarmed demonstrators”.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said his “heart goes out” to the victims of recent violence and promised that there would be “justice for all”.

Pockets of violence flared around Lagos on Thursday despite the lockdown order as supermarkets were looted and government buildings targeted.

An eyewitness saw thick smoke billowing from a prison in the upscale neighbourhood of Ikoyi.

The interior ministry later said the situation was brought under control at the prison.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2020