Nigeria protests: Family demand justice for tailor killed in Kaduna

“All we want is justice for our brother,” says Ismail.

Across Nigeria – in the five days since the demonstrations began – police say at least seven people have been killed, 700 have been arrested, and elite officers have arrested one of the protest leaders.

Despite warnings by President Bola Tinubu, thousands of Nigerians joined the protests – worried about the escalating cost of living, and inspired by the success of young Kenyans whose rallies have won key concessions from government.

The protesters included Abubakar. The youngest of 14 children, he was living at his parents’ home in Kaduna with big ambitions for his career, and hoping to start a family of his own.

But rising costs kept pushing that future further from his reach, and he decided to join the protests.

“As a tailor, money for the materials he was using had all gone up – food too – and he also has to pay increased rent. Everyone is affected by this economic crisis,” says Ismail.

Video footage filmed at the time of Abubakar’s death seems to shows him in a group of young men shouting animatedly at police before trying to run away as if being chased.

According to Abubakar’s brother, who has spoken to witnesses, they were close to the office of the governor of Kaduna, Uba Sani, at the time. Abubakar then told his friends he was tired and wanted to go home.

Moments later police opened fire on the protesters, witnesses say.

Video footage then shows Abubakar falling to the ground. His friends can be heard shouting “officer stop” and “they shot him” in the Hausa language.

“It was shocking when we got a call to come to the hospital after he was shot because we know he wasn’t violent,” Ismail tells the BBC.

He cannot comprehend how this could happen to the kind, caring and hard-working brother he knew.

“We later saw videos of him sitting or talking to friends during the protest which also proved he wasn’t misbehaving,” he adds.