Amnesty International claims 13 #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters killed on first day

Amnesty International said on Friday that 13 protesters were allegedly killed by security forces across Nigeria, on the first day of #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.

The human rights body condemned the killing and called the incident “unjustified and unacceptable.”

Isa Sanusi, Country Director, stated this in a statement on Friday.

“Nigerian authorities must investigate this incident impartially and effectively and ensure that security personnel suspected of being responsible for the alleged use of lethal force are held accountable through fair trials,” Sanusi said.

The organization reported that the killings took place in Suleja, Niger State, where six people were killed and dozens more seriously injured; Maiduguri, where four people were killed; and Kaduna, where three people were killed.

Amnesty International also voiced concern about “the Nigerian authorities’ increasing hostility towards dissent” and “the relentless repression of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.”

“Our findings so far indicate that security personnel at the sites where the fatalities occurred deliberately used tactics designed to kill when dealing with gatherings of people protesting hunger and extreme poverty,” the statement said.

The organization urged the Nigerian government to address the impact of recent reforms on economic, social and cultural rights, including access to health and education.

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“All those arrested for participating in the protests must be immediately and unconditionally released. Authorities must also end violations of people’s rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” Sanusi added.

In response, the Niger State Police Command, through its Police Public Relations Officer Wasiu Abiodun, acknowledged disturbances at the Tafa Local Government Council Secretariat, where hoodlums looted, vandalized and burnt down parts of the building.

Abiodun reported that vehicles were vandalized and burned, and security forces responded by making arrests and dispersing the perpetrators.

Abiodun said there were no casualties in the incident. Although some perpetrators were injured in the riot and received medical treatment, there were no reports of casualties, and the protesters were dispersed with minimal force.

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