The Nigeria Police Force has strongly refuted allegations contained in a recent Amnesty International report, describing the claims as false, misleading, and damaging to the reputation of the force.
The report, released on November 28, 2024, and titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on #EndBadGovernance Protests,” accused the police of extrajudicial killings, claiming that 24 people were killed across six northern states during the protests.
At a press briefing on Sunday, the Police Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi announced that an investigative panel had been established to verify the claims in collaboration with commissioners of police from the affected states. The findings, he said, directly contradicted Amnesty International’s allegations.
“Amnesty International is urged to reevaluate its consistent pattern of false reporting regarding law enforcement activities in Nigeria. Accurate and balanced reporting is critical to maintaining the integrity of any international organization, and Amnesty International must hold itself to these standards,” Adejobi stated.
He added that the police would formally request a retraction of the report along with a public apology.
“The Nigeria Police Force will officially demand the removal of this report from the public domain and a public apology for the inaccuracies it contains. We remain committed to safeguarding the rights of all citizens while ensuring the security and stability of our nation. Sensational reports aimed at undermining public trust in law enforcement are harmful and should be viewed critically,” Adejobi emphasised.
Meanwhile, Adejobi detailed the panel’s findings, highlighting inaccuracies in the report’s claims:
He said in Borno State, the Amnesty International alleged that police threw a hand grenade into a filling station, killing three people.
However, police investigations revealed that protesters were engaged in widespread violence, including the looting and vandalisation of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees’ Skill Acquisition Centre and the World Food Programme’s warehouse.
The claim about a grenade attack was found to be baseless.
In Niger State, the report claimed that three individuals were shot dead in Suleja, but police investigations found no evidence to support this allegation while in Katsina State Amnesty International alleged the killing of a 21-year-old, but local sources confirmed that no such incident occurred.
Also in Kaduna State, Contrary to the report’s claims, no protests or police killings were recorded on October 1, 2024. Instead, an unrelated incident involving the Nigerian Army was investigated.
In Jigawa State, The Amnesty International alleged that two women and a man were killed during protests, but police investigations found that the sole fatality resulted from violence among protesters, not police action.
Furthermore in Kano State the report claimed 12 deaths in Kano due to police actions. Investigations revealed that these fatalities occurred during violent confrontations involving looters and criminals, not the police.
Adejobi concluded by urging the public to be cautious of sensationalized reports designed to undermine trust in law enforcement institutions, reiterating the police’s commitment to accountability and human rights.
