Amnesty International has revealed that the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force killed no fewer than 24 people during the #EndBadGovernance protest in the country.

The #EndBadGovernance protest against hardship in Nigeria was held between August 1 and August 10, 2024.

Amnesty International, in a report on Thursday, November 28, said police operatives used excessive force and shot protesters, killing at least 24 people.

Amnesty said in a 34-page report that it had gathered evidence from videos and photographs, death certificates, and accounts from eyewitnesses.

The rights group said police killed at least 24 protesters in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna, Niger, and Borno States.

“In almost all cases the victims were shot by the police – firing live ammunition at close range, often at the head or torso, suggesting that they were shooting to kill,” it added.

Amnesty said authorities should transparently and effectively investigate all allegations of attacks on protesters and bring perpetrators to justice.

#Endbadgovernance protest: Arraigned minors not in prison, says NCoS

The Nigeria Police Force did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment on the Amnesty report.

On August 3, police denied killing protesters but said seven people had died.

At that time, police blamed four deaths on an explosive device planted by suspected Boko Haram militants who infiltrated a crowd.

Police said two people were killed after being hit by a car while marching and one man was shot by a local vigilante while trying to loot a shop.

The government, which had urged Nigerians not to take part in the demonstrations, has not publicly commented on the deaths of protesters.

Following criticism from rights groups, the Nigerian government earlier this month freed at least 30 minors who had been detained during the protests.

Nigeria is grappling with its worst cost of living crisis in a generation. President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, including the removal of petrol and some electricity subsidies and devaluation of the naira, have added to rising costs.

The Star