Wielding cudgels and cutlasses, a rag-tag army of hoodlums attacked protesters who have been calling for an end to police brutality in Nigeria since Thursday, October 8.

The incident occurred in the Berger area of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

The pro-SARS assemblage would go on to destroy cars and harass passers-by. 

At least five cars were destroyed by the hoodlums, while an unconfirmed number of the protesters sustained injuries.

After initially withdrawing as the stick-wielding crowd marched their way, the #EndSARS protesters regrouped and chased their assailants off the park. 

“A group of thugs have just attacked #EndSARS protesters at the Berger roundabout. After initially fleeing, the protesters have gathered and chased the thugs away. One of the thugs was apprehended and handed over to an NSCDC patrol team station there,” tweeted lawyer and public affairs analyst, Ilemona Onoja. 

“The Fulani youth arrived as we were gathered here and started chasing everybody with machete and destroying cars,” a protester who identified himself as Andrew told TheCable.

Another protester told the online newspaper that “the police failed to stop us and now they are sponsoring thugs. This is just the beginning.”

Protesters calling for an end to police brutality in Nigeria in the last one week are demanding for an execution plan and tangible results, after the government announced that the notorious police unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), has been disbanded in the wake of nationwide agitations. 

SARS and other police tactical squads have often been accused of brute force, extra-judicial killings, profiling and extortion in dealings with members of the public and young Nigerians. 

At least 10 people have been killed across the country since the street protests began.