Olusegun Ariyo
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) gave Amnesty International a seven-day deadline to retract and publicly apologize for its report about the #EndBadGovernance protests or risk facing legal action.
Urban Express News Online reported that in November 2024, Amnesty International released a report named: ‘Bloody August: Violent suppression of #EndBadGovernance protests by the Nigerian government’.
The report claimed that no fewer than 24 demonstrators were killed and 1,200 taken into custody during the countrywide protests that took place from August 1-10, 2024.
Responding to the report, the police initiated an inquiry via a special committee formed by the Inspector-General of Police in December 2024, which determined that the assertions in Amnesty’s report were “untrue.”
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police, revealed in a statement on Tuesday that a letter was dispatched to Amnesty International on January 6, 2025, requesting a retraction and an apology for the report.
“The Police highlights that throughout the protests, the police demonstrated restraint and professionalism, even amidst intense provocation and violent assaults, following global best practices and applying minimal force when needed,” Adejobi remarked.
He stated that the police act professionally and that showcases their efforts in upholding law and order while safeguarding peaceful demonstrators.
As stated by Adejobi, individuals with criminal intent who sought to take advantage of the protests were apprehended and addressed legally.
He voiced worries that the report from Amnesty International compromised the trust and confidence the police had strived to establish with the community.
“This deceptive publication tarnishes the organization’s reputation and disheartens its officers who put their lives on the line to safeguard the public,” the statement stated.
