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Tag: Amnesty International

  • Amnesty condemns killing of popular Nigerian footballer by police

    Amnesty condemns killing of popular Nigerian footballer by police

    Amnesty International has condemned the killing of Sani, a popular Niger State footballer by a policeman  under the influence of alcohol in Sabon Gari market, Chanchaga area of the state.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the deceased Sani was shot dead by the police while sleeping at his friend’s tea shop

    Amnesty said in a statement, “The Nigerian authorities must immediately and impartially investigate the killing of a footballer Sani by a policeman at New Market Sabon Gari Chanchaga LGA of Niger state. Sani was shot dead by the police while sleeping at his friend’s tea stall.

    “Witnesses told Amnesty International that the killers of Sani were heavily drunk and went on a shooting spree in the community. Sani was buried today.

    “For decades, Nigeria police had been targeting youths with utter disregard for the rule of law. It is unacceptable that despite many pledges of reforms, the police in Nigeria continue to operate with complete impunity, while formenting a toxic climate of fear and corruption.”

    The police spokesman in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident, noting that it was reported to police and investigation was underway.

    “The Command received the complaint of the alleged shooting this morning, which was reported to have occurred at about 3 a.m. on 10th March 2025 at Angwan-Kaje area of Maitumbi, Minna.

    “The Commissioner of Police has directed the DPO Maitumbi to investigate and identify the team who allegedly committed such a heinous act for further necessary action.

    “Further development and action taken will be made known to the public in due course,” he stated.

  • EndBadGovernance  protests: over 1,000 remanded-Amnesty international

    EndBadGovernance  protests: over 1,000 remanded-Amnesty international

    Amnesty International, a human rights organisation, has alleged that more than 1,000 #EndBadGovernance hunger and hardship protesters are being held in various prisons across the country.

    In a post via its X handle on Friday, the organisation accused the Nigerian authorities of escalating a crackdown on peaceful protesters by arraigning over 1,000 protesters in court.

    The organisation’s stance follows the protest held from August 1-10.

    The protests took a twist and turned violent in some states, especially in the north, with cases of violence and looting recorded.

    Some of the protesters were also seen holding the Russian flag while chanting “Tinubu must go”.

    As a result of the hostility, on August 6, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced that the police had arrested some of the sponsors of rioters who hoisted foreign flags and called for a change of government in states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others.

    However, reacting, the organisation said that the Nigerian authorities had escalated the protest, and had cracked down on peaceful protesters by arraigning over 100 protesters in court.

    “The Nigerian authorities are escalating crackdown on peaceful protesters against hunger and corruption. Over 1,000 people have been remanded nationwide. Today 441 people were arraigned in Kano, in what is set out to be an unfair trial based on trumped-up charges.

    “Amnesty International again calls for an immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested for exercising their right to peaceful assembly. The government of Nigeria has an obligation to uphold the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

     

  • Police fault Amnesty’s claims on protest casualties

    Police fault Amnesty’s claims on protest casualties

    The Nigeria Police has dismissed as “untrue”, a claim by Amnesty International that 13 people had died since the commencement of the nationwide protest.

    Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, recalled that Amnesty had, in its report, alleged that 13 individuals had lost their lives since the commencement of the protest on Thursday.

    The police spokesman said Amnesty also alleged that security personnel had deliberately employed tactics designed to kill while managing gatherings, and used firearms as a tactical tool for protest management.

    He said the claims by Amnesty International were untrue, adding that the seven deaths recorded since the commencement of the protest were not as a result of gunshots by security personnel.

    “In Borno, four people 8lost their lives and 34 others were severely injured in a terrorist attack by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP elements that infiltrated the protest and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

    “An incident involving an unregistered Honda Prelude car that ran into protesters, resulting in the deaths of two civilians was also recorded.

    “Another incident was reported in Kebbi where a group of individuals mobilised to loot a shop and in the process, a local vigilante man shot and killed one of the looters.

    “This brings the total number of deaths recorded since the commencement of the protest to seven, and not 13 as claimed by Amnesty International,” he said.

    The police spokesman said that no other fatality was recorded since the commencement of the protest apart from the seven cases mentioned.

    Adejobi, however, said that incidences of armed robbery, arson, mischief, looting of public institutions and private businesses, destructions of both public and private property were recorded during the protest.

    He said arrests were made with respect to the criminal incidences with a number of recoveries made from the suspects, while the protest was going on.

    Adejobi said personnel of the Nigeria Police deployed to manage the protests had acted professionally and had refrained from using lethal weapons.

    He said teargas was used to disperse groups, where protesters became riotous.

    According to him, even when our officers on lawful duty were attacked and injured, the police made arrests using only teargas demonstrating utmost restraint.

    He said the Nigeria Police Force had earlier reaffirmed its commitment to perform its lawful duties with professionalism, maintaining law and order.

    Adejobi, therefore, urged citizens and residents to disregard “unfounded and psychologically manipulative reports being circulated on the protest”.

  • Amnesty International condemns killing of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters

    Amnesty International condemns killing of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters

    Amnesty International has condemned the killing of 13 protesters allegedly by security personnel across Nigeria.

    The Country Director, Isa Sanusi, in a statement on Friday, said, the Nigerian authorities must investigate the incidents impartially and effectively and ensure that security personnel suspected of responsibility for the alleged deadly use of force are held to account through fair trial.

    The organisation noted the situations in Suleja, Niger State, where six persons were killed and dozens wounded; Maiduguri, where four persons were killed; and Kaduna, where three other persons were killed.

    Amnesty International also expressed concern over the Nigerian authorities’ “growing hostility to dissent” and the “relentless repression of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly”.

    “Our findings, so far, show that security personnel at the locations where lives were lost deliberately used tactics designed to kill while dealing with gatherings of people protesting hunger and deep poverty,” the statement read.

    The organisation called on the Nigerian government to take concrete steps to address the impact of recent reforms on economic, social and cultural rights, including people’s rights to health and education.

    “All those arrested for taking part in the protest must be released immediately and unconditionally. Authorities must also end the rampant violations of the people’s rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.”

  • Nationwide Demonstration: Respect Protesters’ right, Amnesty International warns Nigerian Government

    Nationwide Demonstration: Respect Protesters’ right, Amnesty International warns Nigerian Government

    Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to respect the rights of demonstrators amid an upcoming national protest against hardship. In a statement on Wednesday, Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International’s Nigeria Director, urged the government and security agencies to allow peaceful protests.

     

    “The Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both the country’s constitution and international human rights treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party. Government officials must also refrain from rhetoric that demonizes protesters and stifles peaceful dissent,” he stated.

     

    Sanusi emphasized that the authorities should not use the proposed nationwide protests as an excuse to crack down on human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. “People must be allowed to freely exercise their right to peaceful protest. The arrests of at least three people last week for allegedly supporting the protests on social media show the authorities’ intolerance of peaceful dissent.”

     

    Highlighting the impact of rising food prices, he noted, “The escalating price of food is driving millions of people in Nigeria deeper into poverty while countless families are increasingly unable to afford healthcare and education. The Nigerian authorities must seriously address the underlying issues driving the protests instead of increasing repression and stifling peaceful dissent.”

     

    Sanusi concluded by calling on the authorities to uphold Nigeria’s constitutional and international human rights obligations, allowing people to freely exercise their rights, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

  • Israel/Hamas war: Falana wants Amnesty International to demand justice

    Israel/Hamas war: Falana wants Amnesty International to demand justice

    Mr Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has tasked Amnesty International to lead the human rights community to demand justice in the war between Israel and Hamas.

    Falana, also a Human Rights Activist, gave this charge at a media parley organised by Amnesty International in Lagos on Thursday.

    He commended Amnesty International for its achievements but accused it of being hypocritical concerning ” atrocities perpetrated by western governments and Israel.”

    “Isreal supported by the United States and other western countries are prosecuting an agenda to destroy unharmed people, including children.

    “There have been mass felling of children, such that you cry when you watch the goings-on on television and see how children are being killed.

    “You cannot defeat an organisation by unleashing violence, no. you must address the crises that led to the emergence of the organisation.

    “Internationally, collective punishment is prohibited in the Geneva Convention,’’ Falana said.

    He stressed that what Israel was doing in prosecuting war with Hamas in the Gaza strip was tantamount to crimes against humanity and genocidal acts.

    According to him, if the occurrence had been committed the other way round, the west would have ordered for the Israeli Prime Minister to be arrested through the International Criminal Court (ICC).

    “Compare the atrocities perpetrated so far in Gaza to the crisis in Ukraine. What did Putin do that the west ensured that the ICC-controlled by them ordered his arrest?

    “Yet, nobody has even suggested that Prime Minister Netayanhu be arrested talk less of charged. Amnesty International must spearhead the human rights community to demand that justice be done in the case of Israel,” he said.

    War broke out between Israel and Hamas after Hamas fighters, on Oct.7, fired rockets into Israel and stormed the southern Israeli cities and towns across the border of the Gaza Strip.

    The fighters killed more than 1400 Israelis and injured over  3300, taking hundreds hostage after the surprise attack.

    The on-going war is the most significant escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in several decades.

    Coming to Nigeria, Falana said the media and citizenry had a big role to play in putting an end to human rights abuses, including illegal arrests and detention.

    He said that section 34 of the Administration of Human Justice Act and section 70 of the Police Establishment Act had imposed a duty on chief magistrates, to at least visit all police stations in their magisterial district once a month.

    “During the visit, the magistrate can grant bail, order release of persons or order for persons to be charged to court.

    “If that happens monthly in our country, and if all the 5000 police stations are visited by their magistrates, today, illegal arrests and detentions will be a thing of the past.

    “The same goes for other detention centres.

    “Under the same laws, the chief judge of the Federal High Court shall designate judges to visit all other detention facilities be it Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), or the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and military detention centres.

    “One thing we have not mentioned and really understood is the role the media played in fighting corruption to a standstill in the 70s.

    “There were no EFCC and ICPC. The media must live up to its reputation,” Falana said.

    NAN

  • HURIWA, Amnesty International fault Nigerian Government’s attempt to gag media

    HURIWA, Amnesty International fault Nigerian Government’s attempt to gag media

    Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and Amnesty International (AI), have condemned attempts by the federal government through the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to gag the media, especially Arise News Television.

    HURIWA specifically cautioned the NBC to avoid acting like an agency of fascism, and not to continuously act as though it was being teleguided, manipulated and mechanically remote-controlled by haters of democracy, free speech and constitutionalism, to scuttle Nigeria’s democracy.

    HURIWA also called on National Broadcasting Commission to take cognisance of the ‘indubitably, incontrovertible and irrevocable’ fact that the grundnorm or the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was more supreme and bigger than any public office holders.

    It said the NBC that was set up by an inferior legislative template couldn’t be seen to be attempting crudely to revoke the constitutional freedoms enshrined copiously in chapter 4 of the constitution, including freedom of information.

    The civil right group said claimed the Constitution in section 22 has empowered the media of mass communication to do the duty of a vanguard and conscience of the nation and monitor the behaviours of public institutions and public office holders.

    It said this was to ensure rule of law, respect for constitutionalism and fundamental freedoms recognised internationally under the Universal Declarations of Human Rights (UDHR), the African Charter on people’s and human rights, the international covenant on civil and political rights and a plethora of international human rights treaties.

    HURIWA said the persistent attempt by NBC to muzzle the exercise of the fundamental human rights of Nigerians including attempting to force broadcasting stations to start operating as if they were in the era of Musolini’s fascism of Italy of far years gone by or as if Nigeria was under the North Korean type of absolute tyranny by not featuring critics or Nigerians of divergent views different from those of the persons in government of the day, must be actively resisted by all and sundry so that democracy was not imperilled.

    The Rights group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, accused the NBC of working with reactionary elements to scuttle democracy and institute absolute monarchical type of governance in this 21st century Nigeria.

    Nigerians, it said, should and must actively resist this negative forces, who were bent on scuttling the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms by the Nigerian citizens.

    On its part, Amnesty International, condemned NBC for issuing a ‘final warning’ to owners of Arise Television over the use of derogatory and incendiary remarks on the station.

    In its reaction shared on its X account in the early hours of Saturday, October 7, 2023, Amnesty International Nigeria said the NBC action has proven that the Nigerian authorities were not prepared to be held accountable.

    It urged the government to desist from what it called an attempt to silence media organisations whose roles are crucial in ensuring independent and diverse media space in the country.

    The statement read: “Amnesty International condemns the ‘final warning’ issued to @ARISEtv by the FG through National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Targeting Arise TV simply for doing their work sends the wrong message that; Nigerian authorities are not prepared to be held accountable.

    “Nigerian authorities must stop the unrelenting quest to silence media organizations like @ARISEtv which are crucial to ensuring independent and diverse media space in the country and fulfilling people’s right to information.

    “Using regulations as a way to silence independent journalism is completely unacceptable. The media in Nigeria should be free to exercise their right to freedom of expression as protected by international law.”

  • Amnesty slams Buhari over south – east killings

    Amnesty slams Buhari over south – east killings

    Amnesty International (AI) has slammed the Federal Government and the security agencies for failing to investigate the recurring killings by the South-East regional security outfit, Ebubeagu.

    This was contained in a statement by its spokesperson, Isa Sanusi, on Tuesday.

    The body was reacting to the alleged killing of seven youths by Ebubeagu in Imo State on Sunday.

    The human rights group faulted the FG for attributing the killings to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra rather than carrying out proper investigations.

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    It added that it has documented several cases of extrajudicial executions by law enforcement officers and members of the Ebubeagu security outfit responding to the violence in the South-East.

    The Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, stated, “It is horrifying that unarmed young men who clearly posed no threat to anyone were gunned down, in utter disdain for the right to life. Such killings cannot be justified under any circumstances whatsoever.

    “Nigerian authorities must end these unlawful killings. Authorities must promptly, thoroughly, and transparently investigate the killings and bring to justice, in fair trials, anyone suspected of criminal responsibility.

    “Authorities must also ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims and their families.

    “At least seven friends including two siblings were allegedly extrajudicially executed by members of the Ebubeagu state security outfit at Awomamma community in Oru East Local Government of Imo State on 17 July 2022.

    “Instead of launching proper investigations into these killings, security and government officials are often quick to claim victims of extrajudicial executions were caught up in shoot-outs or simply label them members of the Eastern Security Network, the armed wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra or unknown gunmen.

    “International law requires Nigerian government to promptly investigate unlawful killings with a view to bringing perpetrators to justice.”

  • #EndSARS report: Amnesty International blasts Buhari’s Minister ‘Your response not surprising to us’

    #EndSARS report: Amnesty International blasts Buhari’s Minister ‘Your response not surprising to us’

    Human rights group Amnesty International has dismissed the Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed’s claims on the panel report on Police brutality and the EndSARS protests, saying his position is not surprising to them.

    The minister had during a briefing in Abuja, described the report submitted by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses as “tales by moonlight” and “riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendoes, omissions and conclusions that were not supported by evidence”.

    But the Country Director of Amnesty International (Nigeria) Osai Ojigho on Tuesday in a monitored interview on Channels Television said happenings in the past year were signposts to the minister’s stance.

    “It is not surprising for us at Amnesty International that the minister, Lai Mohammed, continues to deny that incident that happened that unfortunate day, the 20th of October 2020, at the Lekki tollgate because we have seen in the last one year the constant attacks, the constant narrative that is put out there to gas-light the victims, survivors and witnesses, and create an impression that people are just up to no good,” she said on Tuesday.

    According to her, the organisation, like millions of Nigerians, is interested in getting justice for victims of police brutality.

    “What we have always consistently called for is for a transparent, open investigation into the happenings, not just at the Lekki Toll Gate but throughout the EndSARS protests. There were protests across the country,” the country director added.

    “People died, people were injured, there were all kinds of petitions and complaints made even before the panels were set up regarding the SARS unit and the police in general.”

    Amnesty International also accused the government of attacking protesters, witnesses, and human rights agencies, further corroborating claims by a member of the panel, Ebun-Oluwa Adegboruwa (SAN) that his life was being threatened.

    “Why is it difficult for the authorities to address those petitions rather than focussing on targeting human rights defenders, targeting victims and witnesses, and questioning their integrity and legitimacy?” she asked.

  • Presidency raises alarm of IPOB stockpiling bombs across Nigeria

    Presidency raises alarm of IPOB stockpiling bombs across Nigeria

    The presidency has raised an alarm of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) stockpiling weapons and bombs across the country.

    Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity raised the alarm in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Shehu was reacting to Amnesty International’s recent claim that the Federal Government is harassing its critics and other militias when he raised the alarm.

    He condemned Amnesty International’s latest salvo at Nigeria, regretting that “they have decided to side with terrorists, before the liberty of those they injure, displace and murder’’.

    The presidential aide, however, dismissed the allegation, saying the government will continue to fight terrorism with all the means at its disposal, no matter the criticism it faces for doing so.

    “Amnesty International’s latest salvo at Nigeria is but more of the same.

    “Again, they have decided to side with terrorists, before the liberty of those they injure, displace and murder.

    “Speaking the language of universal human rights, Amnesty International deploys it only in defence – even outright promotion – of those that violently oppose the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    “Parroting the line of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, a proscribed terror organisation, they work to legitimise its cause to Western audiences.

    “This puts them in bad company. Controversial American lobbyists are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to do the same, laundering IPOB’s reputation in Washington DC.

    “IPOB murder Nigerian citizens. They kill police officers and military personnel and set government property on fire.

    “Now, they have amassed a substantial stockpile of weapons and bombs across the country. Were this group in a western country, you would not expect to hear Amnesty’s full-throated defence of their actions.

    “Instead, there would be silence or mealy-mouthed justification of western governments’ action to check the spread of ‘terrorism’, the statement read in part.

    The presidential aide also accused Amnesty International of playing local politics in Nigeria.

    He said: “Despite Amnesty’s self-proclaimed mandate to impartially transcend borders, unfortunately in Nigeria they play only domestic politics.

    “The international NGO is being used as cover for the organisation’s local leaders to pursue their self-interests. Regrettably, this is not uncommon in Africa.

    “There is nothing wrong with an activist stance; there are claims of neutrality, when all facts point to the opposite.”

    According to him, Amnesty International has no legal right to exist in Nigeria, saying it must open a formal investigation into the personnel that occupy their Nigerian offices.

    “They should reject the outrageously tendentious misinformation they receive and bring some semblance of due diligence to the sources they base their claims on. Currently, we see none.

    “The Nigerian government will fight terrorism with all the means at its disposal.

    “We will ignore Amnesty’s rantings. Especially when it comes from an organisation that does not hold itself to the same standards it demands of others,’’ he stated.