The United Nations Secretary-General Wednesday called for an end to police brutality in Nigeria.  António Guterres’ statement comes in the middle of the #ENDSars protests that have been happening in Nigeria since early October. The protests have decried the use of excessive force by police, and especially by the now-defunct SARS unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad police group created in late 1992. The SARS unit was accused of torture and execution of suspected criminals and has been widely criticized by human rights defenders such as Amnesty International.

The statement calls for an end to police brutality, especially in light of violence on Tuesday where 12 protestors were killed. Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, called for the investigation and arrest of the people responsible. He emphasized that the police should use maximum restraint to allow the protesters to protest peacefully. He also asked that they attempt to de-escalate the situation and reiterated the United Nations’ willingness to provide help to find a solution for the party.

In a speech Thursday, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari asked protesters to stop their demonstrations and engage with the government.