By Gabriella Ogbu
Amnesty International has condemned the violent crackdown on the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria, revealing that at least 24 protesters were killed and over 1,200 others arrested by the police.
The shocking details were disclosed by the organization’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, during a press briefing in Kano State on Thursday.
According to Sanusi, the victims—mostly young people—were shot at close range with live ammunition, primarily targeting vital areas like the head and torso.
The fatalities occurred across several states, including Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and Niger, during the protests held from August 1 to 10, 2024.
Among the dead were 20 young individuals, one elderly person, and two children.
“Peaceful protests over government policies have now become a matter of life and death in Nigeria,” Sanusi said, pointing out that the actual number of casualties could be higher due to alleged efforts by the government to suppress information about the scale of the violence.
The report, titled “Bloody August: Nigerian Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protest,” documents the brutal tactics used by security forces to quell dissent against the nation’s growing economic crisis.
Sanusi demanded accountability from the Nigerian government, urging President Bola Tinubu’s administration to launch independent investigations into the human rights violations and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Amnesty International’s investigation, conducted between August 12 and 17, 2024, involved interviews with victims’ families, eyewitnesses, and medical personnel, as well as reviewing photos and videos of the events.
The findings shine a light on the increasingly violent responses to peaceful protests, highlighting the urgent need for reform and greater protection of human rights in Nigeria.
