The Nigeria Police Force has vehemently rejected a report by Amnesty International that accused the police of extrajudicial killings during the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024.
The Force dismissed the claims as “false, misleading, and damaging,” and has called for a retraction and an apology from the human rights organization.
The Amnesty International report, titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests,” alleged that the police killed 24 protesters in six northern states.
The document, released on November 28, 2024, highlighted violence during protests that erupted over the country’s socio-political issues.
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At a press briefing on Sunday, Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi revealed that a special investigative panel had been set up to probe the allegations.
The panel, in collaboration with state police commissioners, conducted extensive inquiries and found several inaccuracies in Amnesty International’s report.
“Contrary to Amnesty International’s claim that the police threw a hand grenade into a filling station in Borno state, killing three people, our investigation found no evidence of such an incident. Instead, we discovered that the protesters were engaged in violent looting and destruction, including the vandalism of international aid warehouses,” Adejobi stated.
The police further debunked other claims made by the rights group. In Niger State, where Amnesty alleged three deaths in Suleja, Adejobi confirmed that no such fatalities occurred.
Similarly, in Katsina, Amnesty’s report of the killing of a 21-year-old protester was found to be unfounded, with local sources confirming that no such incident took place.
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In Kaduna State, Adejobi added that no protests occurred on October 1, 2024, and, therefore, no deaths could be attributed to the police.
“We are deeply concerned that an organization like Amnesty International would engage in such unverified reporting, which has now misled the international community,” he remarked.
The police have demanded that Amnesty International retract its report and issue a public apology, insisting that its false claims have caused significant damage to the credibility of the Nigeria Police Force.
They also emphasized their commitment to transparency and lawful engagement during protests, stating that they will continue to investigate the matter thoroughly.
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