Nigeria: June 27, 2002

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Responding to growing public anger at police abuse of power by prosecuting seven policemen (including a senior commander) involved in the recent shooting of three civilians by police. The national police are notoriously corrupt and quick to violence against the people they are supposed to be protecting. In many parts of the country, the police are ignored and vigilantes impose whatever law and order that's available. Many of these vigilante groups are turning into local militias, under the control of local politicians. This is how a system of warlords is created, and that often leads to civil war or national disintegration.