Protests: Over 1,000 reprimanded across Nigerian, says Amnesty International

Human rights organisation, Amnesty International, 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.

Seven Polish citizens were also part of those arrested. The Nigerian authorities alleged they were linked to the violent protests.

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 post read, “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.”