According to the BBC a new round of “...[p]rotests calling for an end to police brutality began on 7 October [in Nigeria]. The demonstrations, dominated by young people, started with calls for a police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars), to be disbanded.” The Sars unit has been accused of extortion, torture and extrajudicial killings. Nigeria’s president has announced that the unit is being disbanded, but protests have continued, with protesters seeking broader reforms. The president has said that criminals have hijacked the protests and has ordered police to end the “violence, killings, looting and destruction of property.”
Cache Valley resident Ann Norman has been living and working in Nigeria. She is now returning to Utah and will join us for Wednesday’s Access Utah to talk about the situation in Nigeria.
Ann Norman is General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa for Pioneer Energy. She has been sharing her time between Africa and the U.S. for the past 14 years. She has been instrumental in introducing U.S. companies into emerging African markets, as well as showcasing and driving foreign direct investment in Africa, particularly in the healthcare, energy and infrastructure spaces. Ms. Norman is a member of the Board of Advisors at The Africa Energy Chamber, where she serves on the committees for Natural Gas and US Africa Relations.
