The Nigerian government was forced to dissolve a special police unit set up to fight violent crimes after deadly protests.
The protests dominated social media platforms with music and cinema celebrities rising up against years of alleged abuses.
According to local media, the president’s office and the Nigeria Police Force announced the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The police statement also announced an investigation into allegations “of crimes committed against citizens”, adding that “the culprits will be punished”.
The investigation will involve human rights groups and civil society organisations, it said, adding that former SARS officers are to be redeployed into other units.
Growing concerns over the squad’s conduct exploded after a recent video went viral showing the alleged killing of a man by a police officer in Delta state — footage that authorities denied was real.
A protestor and a police officer were killed on Thursday while another sustained life-threatening injuries during a protest in the southern town of Ughelli, said Hafiz Inuwa, Delta State police commissioner, adding that nine people were arrested.
On Friday, hundreds of people marched in many of the main cities in the south of the country of 200 million people.
A number of Nigerian celebrities joined the campaign, and at one point on Friday #EndSARSnow was the top trending Twitter hashtag in Nigeria.
On October 4, when SARS was suspended and reporters questioned Nigeria’s vice president about the issue, he denounced police violence.
“I’m very concerned, in fact, very angry about what I see happening to young men and women who are arrested, in some cases maimed or killed by men of the police force,” Vice president Yemi Osinbajo said.
Amnesty said it had issued a report on the alleged abuses in 2016, receiving “assurances” of reforms.
Anti-torture legislation was passed in 2017, “yet shocking violations committed by the unit have continued,” it said.
Osai Ojigho, director of Amnesty’s Nigeria branch, said in the report: “The continued existence of torture chambers within the Nigerian Police Force points to an absolute disregard for international human rights laws and standards.”
