A yet-to-be-identified young boy has been killed after police shot at protesters in Kubwa in order to disperse them.
Video obtained from the scene of the incident indicated that the young boy whose name was not established was observing an ongoing hunger protest around a Zenith bank axis in the Kubwa, area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The incident, captured in a short video, showed the victim lying in a pool of blood while he was surrounded by some protesters and sympathisers.
Eyewitnesses captured in the video narrated how police officers, deployed to maintain order and security during the protests in the area, opened fire on protesters to disperse them similar to what happened at the MKO Abiola Stadium earlier in the day.
The Information gathered from the eyewitnesses, further noted that the victim who lay lifeless was only passing by; observing the protests which have now been marred by police killings across the country and violence by mob, according to police reports.
It is not clear when the incident occurred, as the protest entered Day 3 on Saturday nationwide, with the populace demanding economic and political reform as well as an end to hunger, bad governance and high cost of living.
NewsNGR contacted the FCT Police Command for more details, but the spokesperson of the Command, Josephine Adeh asked for more time to verify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Nigerian military, on Friday, had warned it will step in should the protest, which has been planned for 10 days, snowball into an overwhelming situation for the police.
Human Rights See, Amnesty International and HURIWA as well as religious leaders have condemned the police’s excessive use of force with protest organisers saying over 17 have been killed so far and several dozens arrested.
Rights activist and Lawyer, Deji Adeyanju also conned the killing. He called on the
IGP, Kayode Egbetokun and “his blood tasty men should come” … “of this innocent young guy shot on the neck on close range at Kubwa by Zenith bank.”
He added, “Clearly this is unprovoked murder as the boy was just sight-seeing the protesters of #Endbadgovanance before this ugly end.”