Nigerian Police Assault Journalist, Arrest 60 at Independence Day Protests

The Nigerian police in Lagos have assaulted a photojournalist and arrested 60 demonstrators during a protest in Lagos as the country marked 60 years of independence on October 1, 2020.

The protest tagged #RevolutionNow and organised by the Coalition for Revolution, was to express citizens' displeasure with recent electricity and fuel price hikes, as well as poor governance. Hundreds of protesters, mostly youth, took to the streets of Lagos, as well as other cities like Abuja and Osogbo, demanding good governance and a reverse to the old prices of electricity and fuel.

"Nigerians are tired of bearing the burden that (President Muhammadu) Buhari keeps piling on us; they must reverse the increase in fuel price. We have made a lot of demands and until they listen to us, we will continue to protest," said one of the protesters, Agba Jalingo, who is also a journalist and victim of harassment by the Nigerian authorities.