The Nigeria Police Force High Command on Sunday insisted that the recent report of Amnesty International on the last End Bad Governance protest in Nigeria titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests,” where several allegations were made against the Police, including the killing of at least 24 persons in six northern states during the protests was inaccurate and false
The Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi made the clarification in Abuja while addressing newsmen on the finding of an independent panel set up by the Inspector General of Police, IGOfficerP Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun to review the report
According to him,”The report released by Amnesty International on the End Bad Governance Protest in Nigeria, is inaccurate and misleading. All international organizations that are independent of political and economic interest are required by ethical and international best practices to demonstrate objectivity, fairness and balance in their reportage. Unfortunately, these qualities were missing in the Amnesty International report.
He pointed out that “the Nigeria Police Force will in due time be writing the Amnesty International to demand a retraction of this report from the public space and 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” he stated.
According to him, ” recall that Amnesty International, on the 28th of November 2024, released a report titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests,” where several allegations were made against the Nigeria Police, including the killing of at least 24 persons in six northern states during the protests.
“The claims made by Amnesty International in this report were at variance with the records available to the Nigeria Police. All recorded incidents of violence during the protests were documented by the police in all 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“These records are available at both the Department of Operations and the Department of Research and Planning of the Nigeria Police Force. It is, therefore, surprising to see in Amnesty International’s report such unfounded claims that contradicted what was actually recorded during the protests.
” Notwithstanding, the Inspector-General of Police, in response to the allegations contained in the report, directed a comprehensive and independent investigation into these claims.
” To this end, a special investigation panel was immediately constituted and given a deadline to submit its findings. The IGP also mandated Commissioners of Police in the states mentioned in the report to verify the allegations as they pertain to their states and to submit additional reports on the incidents.
“Following these directives, the Commissioners of Police in the affected states conducted extensive inquiries in their localities and submitted their findings to the Inspector-General of Police.
” Copies of these findings were sent to the special investigation panel. Furthermore, members of the panel visited the affected states and areas mentioned in the report, compiling their findings in a comprehensive document submitted to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, FSSP, NEAPS.
He disclosed that verified facts showed that ” in Borno State, it was established that the protesters were violent, engaging in widespread looting, pillaging, and wanton destruction of public and private property.
According to him, “For example, the Skill Acquisition Centre of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) was looted and vandalized. The warehouse of the World Food Programme, located on Baga/Maimalari Barracks Road, Maiduguri, was also looted, with several items belonging to the international organization destroyed and stolen by some of the protesters.
” Of particular interest is the reported death of three fuel attendants at A.A Kime Filling Station—Nasiru Mustapha (26), Amodu Garba Maina (24), and Momodi Hassan. Amnesty International claimed on pages 22 and 25 of its report that these three individuals died when a hand grenade was thrown into the filling station by a convoy of police vehicles. These allegations are not only false and misleading but are also a clear attempt to incite the general public against the police and tarnish the image of the Nigeria Police Force in the eyes of the international community.
” For the record, the Nigeria Police does not possess or utilize explosive hand grenades in its operations. Explosive hand grenades have never been purchased, issued, or utilized by the Nigeria Police Force since its establishment as a law enforcement agency. How and where Amnesty International obtained such information can only be speculated upon by mischievous minds.
He further added that “To set the record straight, the trio of Nasiru Mustapha, Amodu Garba Maina, and Momodu Hassan, all staff of Kime and Sons Filling Station, were killed by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fabricated with a safety-free mechanism and planted at the filling station on Baga Road, Maiduguri—not at Bolori Junction as Amnesty International claimed.
According to him, “Furthermore, these three young men were not protesting when they met their untimely deaths. In fact, they did not participate in the protests and were believed to have been killed for choosing to ignore the protests and continue with their lawful business. It should also be noted that the Nigeria Police, based on credible intelligence, had warned ahead of the protests of terror elements planning to infiltrate the demonstrations.
According to him, “The protest in Borno State on 1st August, 2024, witnessed three IED explosions planted by unknown persons at the following locations:
• Deribe Junction along Bulumkutu-Abuja Road, Maiduguri;
• Kime and Sons Filling Station along Baga Road, Maiduguri; and
• A residential area within Maiduguri metropolis.
” The Police Bomb Disposal Unit responded to these explosions, recovered evidence of the improvised explosive devices and facilitated the evacuation of casualties to the hospital. For example, at Deribe Junction, the explosion left three adult males severely injured—Guri Mohammed (24), Isa Hussaini (20), and Ahmed Abdullahi Yusuf (24). At the third location, one Modu Jalo (35) was injured in a residential house in the “Maduganari” area.
He pointed out that, “therefore, the claims by Amnesty International that the Police threw hand grenade from a convoy of vehicles into a Filling Station killing three persons is a blatant falsehood and leaves right thinking members of the society dismayed at this reported falsehood by an international agency which ought to act in accordance with international norms and standard of fair and honest reporting of human rights violations in the country.
In Niger state, Amnesty International alleged that three persons—Yahaya Isa (32), Mohammed Bukau (38), and Musa Muhammadu—were shot and killed in Suleja, Niger State, he explained that the claim had been found to be false as reputable sources in Suleja and Tafa areas confirmed that nobody was killed by the police in Niger State on 1st August, 2024.
According to him, “It is instructive to note that Amnesty International’s claim was based solely on an unverified and disputed report published in Premium Times on 18th August 2024, titled “How Police Killed, Injured Protesters During End Bad Governance Protest in Niger State.”
” For an international agency to publish a report based on unverified local tabloid information is unethical. If Amnesty International’s motives were genuine, it would have verified this information from local authorities before publication.
Speaking on Katsina State, where Amnesty International alleged that one Shafiu Mukhtar of Filin Sanyi Kofar, Sauri, Katsina, aged 21, was shot dead by the police on 5th August, 2024, he said that the report had been fact-checked and found to be false as reliable sources confirmed to the verification team that there was no report of any killing in the community on that day. There are also no records in police stations or hospitals of such an incident.
In Kaduna State where the Amnesty International’s report claimed that on 1st October, 2024, the police in Kaduna State killed one Abubakar Adamu Abdullahi, a 24-year-old tailor, by shooting him in the chest, he said that from verified records, there was no protest in Kaduna on that date, nor was there any killing recorded.
According to him, “Instead, on 6th August, 2024, during the protests, a military patrol at Samaru, Zaria, accosted some youths vandalizing public property. In the process of firing a warning shot, one Ismail Mohammed was accidentally hit by a bullet and died on the way to the hospital.
” The Nigerian Army immediately took responsibility for this incident, conducting an open investigation, arresting the soldier responsible, and visiting the family of the deceased. Amnesty International’s report on this incident is a misrepresentation.
The FPRO further added that “the Nigeria Police Force categorically denies the allegations of excessive use of force as claimed by Amnesty International as these claims are false, misleading, and an unfair misrepresentation of the actions and conduct of our officers.
According to him, ” The Nigeria Police Force operates under the highest professional standards and remains fully committed to upholding human rights and the rule of law. Our officers deployed for protest management are regularly being trained in compliance with international human rights standards.
“While the NPF respects and recognizes the constitutional right of citizens to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, it is equally charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order. During the #EndBadGovernance protests, police officers were deployed to safeguard protesters, protect lives and property, and prevent disruptions caused by infiltrators seeking to hijack the demonstrations.
” Contrary to Amnesty International’s claims, there is no credible evidence to support allegations of killings or excessive use of force by the police. Reports of officers firing live rounds at protesters or targeting unarmed civilians are baseless and were not corroborated by independent investigations.
“Evidence available to the NPF indicates that certain elements infiltrated the protests with the intention of inciting violence, destroying public property, and endangering public safety. The police responded with minimum force without the use of firearms to disperse such disruptive elements in accordance with legal guidelines.
” Detentions and prosecutions were conducted within legal frameworks, and allegations of arbitrary arrests, maltreatment, or denial of legal access are unsubstantiated.
“The report released by Amnesty International on the End Bad Governance Protest in Nigeria is inaccurate and misleading. All international organizations that are independent of political and economic interest are required by ethical and international best practices to demonstrate objectivity, fairness and balance in their reportage. Unfortunately, these qualities were missing in the Amnesty International report.
He pointed out that ” the Nigeria Police Force in this present dispensation under the leadership of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has demonstrated high level of professionalism in Public Order Management across the Country.
According to him, ” Our Standard operating procedure with respect to peaceful public protest, is to provide security for peaceful protesters to conduct their protest unmolested by opposing group, miscreants and criminal elements. Most importantly, our commitment is to ensure that peaceful protests do not turn violent or endanger the lives and properties of other law-abiding citizens.
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