Amnesty International has released the names and photos of 24 protesters killed during the EndBadGovernance protest in August.
The identities of the casualties were published in a Amnesty International’s report titled “Bloody August: Nigerian Government’s Violent Crackdown on #Endbadgovernance Protests” released on Thursday.
The #EndBadGovernance protests held from August 1 to 10, 2024. The protests emerged in response to worsening economic conditions, including the removal of fuel subsidies and soaring inflation.
Despite warnings and attempts by government officials, religious leaders, and traditional authorities to dissuade participation, the protests proceeded in major cities and towns.
While the protest was largely peaceful in the South, it was marred by violence, looting and clashes with security agents in the northern part of the country.
At least 24 protesters, including minors, were killed in six states: Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Niger, Kaduna, and Borno, according to Amnesty International.
The human rights organisation described the killings as deliberate, with security forces firing live ammunition at close range.
Most deaths were caused by live ammunition fired at close range, often targeting vital body parts like the head and torso. Victims included a five-year-old child and a woman preparing for her wedding.
See the full list of the 24 victims below:
“People in Nigeria witnessed unbelievable lawlessness as security personnel fired live ammunition at peaceful protests. The death toll could be higher than 24 because of the authorities’ desperate efforts to cover up the atrocities. Peaceful protest over government policies is now a matter of life and death in Nigeria,” said Isa Sanusi, director of Amnesty International Nigeria.
In Kano, 12 people were killed at Rijiyar Lemo and Kofar Nasarawa. In Jigawa state, 3 people were killed at Hadejia, while 1 person was killed at Kofar Sauri, Katsina state. In Kaduna state, a minor was killed by a soldier in Zaria while police killed one person in Kaduna. In Maiduguri, 3 people were killed at A.A. Kime Filling Station at Bolori Junction. In Niger state, at least, 3 people were killed along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
Over 1,200 protesters, including children, were arrested. Many were detained beyond legal limits, and some were charged with treason and other severe offenses. Amnesty International noted that several detainees faced ill-treatment, including torture.
According to the organisation, activists and journalists who supported the protests on social media were harassed and arbitrarily detained.
“The Nigerian authorities must hold the police and other security agencies to account for unleashing deadly force on people who did not constitute an imminent threat to lives. It is shocking that police have engaged in flagrant denials of wrongdoing despite public evidence to the contrary, and this speaks to their utter disregard for the sanctity of human lives. President Bola Tinubu must constitute an independent and impartial investigation of human rights violations during the #Endbadgovernance protests,” Sanusi said.
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