The Nigeria Police Force has strongly rejected the claims made by Amnesty International in its report titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests,” calling them misleading and false. The report, which was published on November 28, 2024, accused the police of extrajudicial killings during the August 1-10 hunger protests, alleging that at least 24 people were killed across six northern states.
In response, the police have denied these allegations, stating that their investigation results contradict the accusations. At a press briefing on Sunday, Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi revealed that a special panel had been formed to investigate the claims. The panel, working with police commissioners from the affected states, thoroughly examined the matter and uncovered numerous inaccuracies in Amnesty International’s report.
Adejobi also criticized Amnesty International for its recurring misrepresentation of Nigerian law enforcement activities. He urged the organization to reconsider its approach to reporting, stressing the importance of accuracy and fairness in its assessments of human rights violations. The police have stated that they will be formally requesting a retraction of the report and a public apology from Amnesty International.
Refuting specific claims, Adejobi highlighted the situation in Borno State, where Amnesty International alleged that the police had thrown a grenade into a filling station, killing three people. The police found no evidence to support this, stating that the protesters were violent, engaging in looting and destruction, including targeting facilities like the Skill Acquisition Centre of the UNHCR and the World Food Programme warehouse.
Further investigations also disproved reports of killings in other states. In Niger State, the police dismissed claims of three people being killed in Suleja. Similarly, a 21-year-old’s death in Katsina, initially attributed to police action, was found to be unsubstantiated. In Kaduna, no protests took place on October 1, 2024, and an incident involving the military, rather than the police, was identified. Moreover, the police found that the death of one protester in Jigawa was caused by violent actions from the protesters themselves, not police intervention.
In Kano State, where Amnesty International claimed 12 deaths due to police actions, investigations revealed that these fatalities were the result of confrontations between looters and criminals, not the police.
The Nigeria Police Force has expressed its commitment to protecting the rights and security of citizens while ensuring the nation’s stability. It also cautioned the public against sensational reports that could damage trust in law enforcement.
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