A new video circulating onine that shows a Nigerian cop shooting a protester in the back has reignited tensions in Lagos and worsened the already dire situation in the country.
The video also showed the officer dragging the limp body of the anti-police-brutality protester down the street before more gunfire had erupted.
The video, which had been verified by Reuters as being authentic, reportedly occurred Wednesday after the fatal shooting of a crowd of protesters the night before. The footage showed a large group of heavily armed police officers surrounding a group of protesters in Lagos. The camera momentarily jerked away from the scene at the sound of the gunshot.
The still-unidentified victim initially struggled while he was being dragged down the street but he eventually went completely limp. No reports have emerged on the condition of the man or if he had managed to survive the ordeal.
Verified reports from multiple outlets had confirmed that the Nigerian army and police had killed at least a dozen peaceful protesters In Lagos Tuesday evening. Witnesses claimed that heavily armed soldiers arrived at the Lagos' Lekki toll gate after nightfall. Videos taken by some of the protesters were able to capture the gruesome scene when soldiers opened fire on the crowds. Some of the footage showed lifeless bodies lying on the streets after the crowd had dispersed.
The hundreds of residents gathered in Lagos were protesting the actions of the now-disbanded police unit called the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. This led to the so-called Anti-Sars movement, which had gained traction on social media.
The civil unrest in Nigeria continued Thursday, with establishments and vehicles being set on fire by angry protesters. The city's Ikoyi Correctional Center was also set ablaze with plumes of smoke visible for miles. Intermittent gunfire was reportedly heard throughout the day as police and protesters continue to clash.
Protests further escalated after governor Obajide Sanwo-Olu denied the shooting incident, claiming that the reported deaths were nothing more than "fake news." He later claimed that the "unfortunate shooting incident" had only injured 25 people and the soldiers only fired warnings shots into the air.
