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51 arrested in Lagos as construction workers rampage over lockdown

Police in Lagos, Nigeria arrested 51 people on Monday after construction workers rioted in protest over the Covid-19 lockdown there.

The protesters had been working on sites in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, where a major oil refinery commissioned by the Dangote conglomerate is being built, reports the AFP news agency.

"The youth went violent because they said they were tired of staying at home and they needed money, because they live on daily income," police spokesperson Bala Elkana told Nigerian newspaper, Punch.

According to Punch, workers were angry that foreign workers from India and China were still working, despite a lockdown in Lagos state imposed on 30 March.

Police told AFP that protesters injured five policemen and vandalised two police posts in the area.

Those arrested would be investigated and charged, police said.

On Monday evening Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari extended the lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states until 4 May.

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Nigeria stood at 1,532 today, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Forty-four coronavirus deaths have been recorded.

Image ©GCR, illustration by Denis Carrier

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Comments

  1. What a good thing that we are still allowed to see worldwide news from other sources than the BBC (more correctly known as the Ministry of Propaganda)

  2. Foreign workers are working then why should they stop Nigerian workers because dangote own’s the company treat every body equal please release the boys

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