Democratic Presidential candidate in the upcoming United States election, Joe Biden, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the military to stop violent crackdown on protesters, which has claimed several lives.
Biden, a former American Vice-President, said this in a statement titled, ‘Violence in Nigeria – Statement by Vice President Joe Biden’ on Wednesday.
He said the United States must stand with Nigerians, who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption.
Biden’s statement read, “I urge President Buhari and the Nigerian military to cease the violent crackdown on protesters in Nigeria, which has already resulted in several deaths. My heart goes out to all those who have lost a loved one in the violence.
“The United States must stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption in their democracy. I encourage the government to engage in a good-faith dialogue with civil society to address these long-standing grievances and work together for a more just and inclusive Nigeria.”
Thousands of youths have in the last two weeks been protesting against police harassment and extrajudicial killings.
On Tuesday, however, after hoodlums had hijacked the demonstrations, Lagos, which is the epicentre of the protests, imposed a 24-hour curfew while soldiers moved in to disperse protesters at the Lekki toll gates.
Eyewitnesses claim at least seven people were killed in the attack but the state government claims the figures were exaggerated.
On Wednesday, several irate youths took to the streets to burn down government facilities and some private establishments.