by Nurat Uthman
No fewer than 24 protesters were allegedly killed and over 1,200 others were detained by the Nigeria Police during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, according to Amnesty International.
The organisation’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, disclosed this while addressing a news conference in Kano State on Thursday.
Sanusi, who presented a documented report on the protests, said those killed included 20 young people, an older person and two children.
“The #EndBadGovernance demonstrations between August 1 and 10, killed at least 24 people in the states of Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Niger.
“In all cases, the victims were shot by the police, firing live ammunition at close range often at the head or torso, suggesting that officers were shooting to kill.
The death toll could be higher than 24 because of the authorities’ apparent desperate efforts to cover up the atrocities. Peaceful protest over government policies is now a matter of life and death in Nigeria,” he said.
The report, christened “Bloody August: Nigerian Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance protest,” documented the crackdown on peaceful protests against rampant and economic hardship that bedevilled the nation.
He said the Nigerian authorities must hold the police and other security agencies to account for unleashing deadly force on people who did not constitute an imminent threat to lives.
“President Bola Tinubu and his government must conduct prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigations into the allegations of human rights violations during the #EndBadGovernance protests, and ensure that those suspected to be responsible are identified and brought to justice in fair trials.
“Between August 12 and 17, 2024, Amnesty International carried out field research in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states. Evidence gathered include videos and photographs, as well as accounts from eyewitnesses, medical workers and victims’ relatives, friends, and acquaintances on the ground,” he added.
