Amnesty International has strongly condemned the killing of 13 protesters allegedly at the hands of security personnel across Nigeria, calling the incidents “unjustified and unacceptable.”
The Country Director of Amnesty International, Isa Sanusi, issued a statement on Friday urging Nigerian authorities to conduct impartial and effective investigations into the killings. Sanusi emphasized that security personnel suspected of using deadly force must be held accountable through fair trials.
The organization reported that the fatalities occurred in several locations: six people were killed in Suleja, Niger State; four in Maiduguri; and three in Kaduna. Amnesty International also highlighted the broader issue of the Nigerian government’s increasing hostility toward dissent and the ongoing repression of the right to peaceful assembly.
“Our findings indicate that security personnel at these locations employed lethal tactics when confronting gatherings of people who were protesting against hunger and severe poverty,” the statement read.
Amnesty International called on the Nigerian government to address the impacts of recent economic reforms on citizens’ social and cultural rights, including access to health and education. The organization also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested during the protests and urged an end to the widespread violations of the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
In response to the allegations, the Niger State Police Command issued a report through the Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun. The report acknowledged the unrest at the Tafa Local Government Council Secretariat, where miscreants looted, vandalized, and partially set the building on fire. Vehicles were also damaged and burned during the incident.
However, Abiodun denied that any lives were lost during the chaos, stating that security forces used minimum force to disperse the protesters. He added that while some individuals were injured during a stampede, they were taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
