Nigeria’s army says it is ready to maintain law and order and deal decisively with any situation created by “trouble makers”, while demonstrators calling for an end to police brutality promise to keep up nationwide protests.

Protesters have staged daily marches for a week, calling for an overhaul of police forces.

The military, which in recent years has repeatedly been accused of human rights abuses that it has denied, issued a statement late on Wednesday.

The head of Nigeria’s police force on Sunday dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit that demonstrators have long accused of beatings, killings and extortion.

In a swift response, Amnesty International Nigeria has asked the military to avoid interfering in a nationwide protest that has been largely peaceful.

Isa Sanusi is the media manager with Amnesty International Nigeria.