Nauru's government says an Australian Federal Police (AFP) officer who was in charge of the nation's police force was dismissed from the role in the middle of a riot that destroyed the island's detention centre.

The Federal Immigration Department estimates Friday night's protests caused $60 million worth of damage and more than 100 asylum seekers have now been charged.

The department is calling the incident a "disturbance" but Nauruan authorities are calling it a "riot".

Detainees burned buildings to the ground, including accommodation blocks which can house 600 people. The health centre and the dining room were also destroyed.

The director of the Nauruan government's information office, Joanna Olsson, has confirmed to the ABC Nauru's police commissioner, Richard Britten, who was on secondment from the AFP, was suspended during the protest.

It is understood there was a disagreement between the police commissioner and the Nauruan government, perhaps on how to deal with the unrest.

"Yes, he has been suspended. A local has been appointed to be the director of police, Richard was the commissioner of police and for the full details of the reasons behind [it], I'm not quite sure of it," Ms Olsson said.

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"I think there might have been misunderstanding, or something to that degree between... perhaps himself and the government.

"But I'm not sure to what, to what extent or the real reasons were behind that."

She says many Nauruans have been upset by the actions of the asylum seekers and the damage they caused.

"Mind you, there was no escapees so they never got out into the community, which was a good thing, so there are undoubtedly angry Nauruans, but in terms of having the camp here, I think people are still okay with it," she said.

"I'm told about 60 security guards were flown in over the weekend, some non-essential staff have been returned back to Australia, only because they've got no office to work from, so they've replaced them with security staff.

"I'm assuming they will probably stay back on island for a bit longer, because maybe they need added security presence at the camps."

Police on standby ahead of unrest

Ms Olsson says the detention centre is still being cleaned up and revealed the events leading up to the unrest.

Local police were on standby from 2pm on Friday afternoon ahead of anticipated unrest.

"But actually the riot started about, roughly about 6:30pm on Friday afternoon, ended around 11pm," she said.

"They were sort of protesting. I'm told they wanted answers about their asylum claims. So that all erupted into violence and fires in the end.

"The police were there until about 5am."

The violence prompted Nauru's acting president to recruit some extra people into the police force during the protest.

"[The] Nauru police force was established throughout the evening. There was a couple of hundred, I'm told, local men went up there to assist," she said.

"But the police did a great job, they were at the frontline, they managed to hold the rioters inside the camp.

"Behind them was the Wilson security, which is the Australian company, they were behind them with the local security company and then there was the rest of the locals who were behind that line."

Ms Olsson has told the ABC that representatives from both governments are now meeting to decide how to proceed.

"I was up there just this morning, all the buildings are destroyed, except the recreation centre, the new kitchen," she said.

"Most of that was destroyed, all the food reserves has been destroyed as well."

The hundreds of asylum seekers at the centre have been housed in tents and are expected to be moved later in the week.

"It is hoped to have them moved by the end of the week to the second camp, which was supposed to be built for family accommodation," he said.

"They're still going to be in tents, I presume, at the second camp until they do the rebuilding of the federal accommodation for them.

"About 150, I'm told, are in jail, approximately probably about 400 that were at the camp."