One year after the #EndBadGovernance protests swept across Nigeria, Amnesty International says justice remains out of reach for victims and survivors of police brutality.
In a statement released on Friday, the global rights body accused the Nigerian authorities of “utter disregard for human rights” and failing to hold security forces accountable.
“The Nigerian government has shown no will to investigate the killings, torture and arbitrary arrests that happened during those protests,” said Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International Nigeria’s director. “What we’ve seen is a clear pattern of silence and cover-up.”
The protests, which began on 1 August 2024, were triggered by rising economic hardship, fuel price hikes, inflation, and a general collapse in governance. Tens of thousands of mostly young Nigerians took to the streets in cities like Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, and Maiduguri, demanding reforms.
But what started as peaceful demonstrations quickly turned bloody.
Amnesty says at least 24 protesters were killed between 1 and 10 August 2024, with the worst cases reported in Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Borno, Niger and Kaduna states. The group’s investigators say many of the victims were shot at close range, often in the head or chest, indicating clear intent to kill.
“Police fired live ammunition deliberately,” said the report. “Some protesters were shot in the legs and arms, others suffocated by tear gas. The aim was to crush the protests, not disperse them.”
According to the group, several minors were arrested and tortured. One collapsed in court from starvation while awaiting trial in Abuja in November.
Dozens of protesters are still facing trial, mostly on charges Amnesty describes as “bogus.” In Borno, protesters were convicted after being accused of forming a group called Zanga Zanga and plotting to take up arms against the government.
“In Abuja, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, others have been charged with inciting mutiny and attempting to destabilise the country,” the report said. “It’s a complete abuse of the legal system.”
Despite public outrage and international concern, the Nigerian government has refused to hold police officers accountable. No single official has been prosecuted for the killings or torture of protesters.
Amnesty warned that the failure to act sends the wrong message to security forces.
“As long as police officers continue to get away with murder, these abuses will keep happening,” Sanusi said. “You cannot shoot at citizens with live bullets and expect the country to move on like nothing happened.”
The rights group also urged the international community to step in.
“Nigeria must be told clearly that this cannot continue. The world must hold its leaders to account,” the statement added.
Amnesty says the struggle for justice is far from over.
“The protests may have ended, but the demand for dignity, justice and accountability is still alive. The victims are watching. Nigerians are watching. The world is watching.”
