At least 24 protesters were allegedly killed and more than 1,200 detained by the Nigeria Police during the #EndBadGovernance protests, Amnesty International reported on Thursday.
The organisation’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, revealed this at a press conference in Kano State while presenting a detailed report titled “Bloody August: Nigerian Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protest.”
Sanusi said, “The #EndBadGovernance demonstrations between August 1 and 10 led to the deaths of 24 people, including 20 youths, an older person, and two children, in Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and Niger states.”
He alleged that in all instances, the victims were shot by police using live ammunition, often aimed at the head or torso, suggesting that officers intended to kill.
“Peaceful protest over government policies is now a matter of life and death in Nigeria,” he said, adding that the death toll might be higher as authorities made apparent efforts to cover up the incidents.
The report detailed police actions against protesters demanding relief from widespread economic hardship and poor governance. Sanusi said the government must hold the police and security forces accountable for their actions.
“President Bola Tinubu and his government must conduct prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent, and effective investigations into these human rights violations,” Sanusi stated. “Those responsible must be identified and brought to justice in fair trials.”
Between August 12 and 17, Amnesty International conducted field research in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states, gathering evidence through videos, photographs, and testimonies from eyewitnesses, medical workers, and victims’ families.
The organisation’s findings also highlighted the broader crackdown on peaceful dissent in the country. Amnesty called for immediate action to protect citizens’ rights to peaceful protest and ensure accountability for abuses.
