The Nigeria Police Force Sunday dismissed allegations by Amnesty International in its report on #Endbadgovernance protest, describing the claims as false, misleading, and damaging to the force.
The report which was dated November 28, 2024, stated that the police embarked on extrajudicial killings during the protests and that 24 were killed in six northern states.
Titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests,” the report has been refuted by the police, who assert that their findings contradict Amnesty International’s allegations.
Addressing a press briefing on the matter on Sunday, Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi revealed that a special investigative panel had been constituted to verify the claims.
He stated that the panel, in collaboration with commissioners of police from the affected states, conducted extensive investigations and compiled a comprehensive report highlighting inaccuracies in Amnesty International’s allegations.
Reeling out the police findings in Borno, Adejobi said the police didn’t use grenades as claimed by the organisation.
He said, “In Borno state, it was established that the protesters were violent, engaging in widespread looting, pillaging, and wanton destruction of public and private property. For example, the Skill Acquisition Centre of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees was looted and vandalised.
“The warehouse of the World Food Programme, located on Baga/Maimalari Barracks Road, Maiduguri, was also looted, with several items belonging to the international organisation destroyed and stolen by some of the protesters.
“Therefore, the claims by Amnesty International that the police threw a hand grenade from a convoy of vehicles into a filling station killing three persons is a blatant falsehood and leaves right-thinking members of society dismayed at this reported falsehood by an international agency that ought to act in accordance with international norms and standards of fair and honest reporting of human rights violations in the country.”
In Niger state, Adejobi said the claim that three individuals were shot dead in Suleja was debunked in the police findings.
He said the alleged killing of a 21-year-old in Katsina was also found to be unsubstantiated, adding that local sources confirmed that no such incident occurred.
In Kaduna state, Adejobi said also said contrary to Amnesty International’s report, no protests occurred in Kaduna on October 1, 2024, and no police killings were recorded.