Nigerians are outraged by the unveiling of a new police unit to replace a notorious agency that was disbanded following public outcry over its alleged human rights abuses.
The head of the police Mohammed Adamu announced that Swat would carry out the duties which were done by the Special Anti Robbery Squad (Sars).
But many are using the hashtag #EndSwat on Twitter to oppose the new unit.
They see the changes as not enough to reform the police.
Thousands of Nigerians have been protesting against the frequent cases of illegal detentions, assaults and shootings by Sars officers.
The mostly peaceful demonstrations have however been disrupted by police. Amnesty International said on Tuesday that 10 people were killed in the protests but other reports give a lower figure.
Some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars, including Davido and Falz, have thrown their weight behind the demonstrators, who have been galvanising support on Twitter under the #EndSARS hashtag.
On Tuesday, they marched in the oil hub of Port Harcourt in defiance of a ban on demonstrations imposed by the state governor.
Protests were also held in the commercial hub, Lagos, the country’s capital, Abuja, and four other cities.
