Protests: Amnesty International says 13 killed, calls for probe

Amnesty International has claimed that 13 persons were killed in the first day of the nationwide protests that hit parts of the country, calling for a probe.

In a public statement today, the humanitarian group listed the states where the killings took place.

It said six persons were killed in Suleja, Niger state, with dozens severely wounded. According to Amnesty International, in Maiduguri, it said four people were killed, while three were killed in Kaduna.

It said, “The Nigerian authorities must investigate these incidents impartially and effectively and ensure that security personnel suspected of responsibility for the alleged deadly use of force are held to account through fair trial.

“Violent crackdown on peaceful protesters is unjustified and unacceptable. The Nigerian authorities’ fierce clampdown on peaceful protests yesterday and the harmful rhetoric by government officials ahead of the protests appear to be part of a wider plan to find justification for depriving people of the right to peaceful protest.

“Our findings, so far, show that security personnel at the locations where lives were lost deliberately used tactics designed to kill while dealing with gatherings of people protesting hunger and deep poverty.

“Particularly in Abuja, the police have routinely misused tear gas against largely peaceful protesters.

“The relentless repression of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly speaks to the Nigerian authorities’ growing hostility to dissent.

“Nigerian security agencies’ unlawful attitude of using firearms as tactical tools for the management of protests must end.

“The Nigerian government must also pay more attention to taking concrete steps to address the impact on economic, social, and cultural rights, including people’s rights to health and education.

“Authorities must also end the rampant violations of the people’s rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.”