One year after Nigerian police violently cracked down on peaceful #EndBadGovernance protests, Amnesty International has accused the authorities of failing to ensure justice for victims of police brutality — including at least 24 people killed during the demonstrations in August 2024.
In a statement on Thursday, Amnesty said no member of the security forces has been held accountable for the killings, mass arrests, torture, and arbitrary detentions that took place across several northern states, despite overwhelming evidence of serious human rights violations.
The organisation’s Nigeria director, Isa Sanusi, said the police deployed lethal force in a bid to suppress peaceful dissent in Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Borno, Niger, and Kaduna states, with victims often shot at close range in the head or chest — indicating a shoot-to-kill policy.
“A year on, despite the gravity of these violations, not a single member of the security forces has been prosecuted,” Sanusi said. “Accountability remains elusive for the 24 peaceful protesters killed. Those behind these atrocities must face justice.”
According to Amnesty, survivors also reported being shot in the limbs or suffocated by excessive tear gas. Some protesters were tortured in detention, and minors collapsed in court from starvation while on trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 1, 2024.
The group said Nigerian authorities continue to clamp down on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly through intimidation, mass surveillance, and the prosecution of protesters on trumped-up charges — despite clear evidence that they committed no crimes.
Amnesty cited the conviction of several teenage protesters in Maiduguri, Borno State, who were sentenced to caning or community service, while adults received up to five years in prison after what it described as a “sham trial.” The protesters were accused of creating a WhatsApp group called “Zanga Zanga” with the alleged aim of taking up arms against the government.
In Abuja, several protesters — including Michael Adaramoye (aka Lenin), Adeyemi Abayomi (aka Yomi), and others — are still on trial before a Federal High Court. Their charges include “levying war against the state,” “inciting mutiny,” and “calling for a military takeover” by chanting slogans like “Tinubu must go” and carrying placards calling for an end to bad governance.
“These charges are baseless and politically motivated,” Amnesty said. “The Nigerian authorities have pressed on with prosecutions despite overwhelming evidence that the protesters did not engage in any unlawful conduct.”
Sanusi warned that the failure to investigate and punish those responsible for the violent crackdown risks normalising the use of excessive force by Nigerian security agencies.
“What happened in Nigeria between August 1 and 10, 2024, reflects the government’s blatant disregard for human rights,” he said. “Refusing to hold police accountable for these horrific attacks will only embolden further abuses during future protests.”
Amnesty is calling on the Nigerian government to immediately drop all politically motivated charges against protesters, provide justice and reparations for victims and their families, and initiate independent investigations into the use of excessive force by security agencies.
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