The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has strongly denied claims made by Amnesty International in a recent report that accused the police of extrajudicial killings during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The report, titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests”, alleged that at least 24 people were killed in six northern states.
However, the police have dismissed these allegations as inaccurate and harmful to their reputation.
During a press briefing on Sunday, Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi announced that a special investigative panel had thoroughly reviewed Amnesty’s claims. Working with state commissioners of police, the panel found evidence contradicting the accusations.
“Amnesty International is advised to reflect on its frequent false reporting on Nigeria’s law enforcement activities and ensure its reports are accurate and contain a true and fair representation of events affecting national security and public safety. Accurate reporting of facts is essential to the integrity of any international organisation, and Amnesty International should not be an exception,” Adejobi said.
“The Nigeria Police Force will, in due course, write to Amnesty International to demand the retraction of this report from the public domain along with a public apology. The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in protecting the rights of all citizens while ensuring the security and stability of the nation. We, therefore, urge the public to be wary of sensational reports designed to incite mistrust and weaken confidence in law enforcement institutions,” Adejobi added.
The police also revealed that the report contained several inaccuracies. In Borno State, they refuted claims of grenade usage, stating that the protests were marred by looting and destruction, including the vandalism of a UN refugee center and a World Food Programme warehouse.
In Niger and Katsina states, allegations of killings were dismissed as unsubstantiated, with investigations confirming no such incidents occurred. Similarly, claims of police violence in Kaduna, Jigawa, and Kano were also debunked. The police concluded that reported fatalities were either unrelated to their actions or caused by protesters themselves.
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.
Adejobi 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.
Also in Kaduna State, Adejobi said contrary to Amnesty International’s report, no protests occurred in Kaduna on October 1, 2024, and no police killings were recorded.
He said instead, an incident involving the Nigerian Army was identified and openly investigated.
Adejobi said Amnesty International reported the deaths of two women and a man during protests in Jigawa, but the police investigations revealed no such killings, and evidence suggested that the lone fatality was caused by protester violence, not police action.
In Kano State, Adejobi said the report alleged 12 deaths in Kano due to police actions, stating that investigations indicated that these deaths resulted from violent confrontations involving looters and criminals, not police activity.
