The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has formally written to Amnesty International, demanding an immediate retraction and public apology over a publication titled, “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on End Bad Governance Protests”.
The publication allegedly contains unsubstantiated claims of human rights violations and police brutality during the #Endbadgovernance protest.
The letter, dated January 6, was signed by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, and was made public on Tuesday.
Adejobi described the publication as “misleading and damaging” to the reputation of the NPF.
The controversial report alleged human rights violations, police brutality and excessive violence by the NPF during the August 2024 Endbadgovernance protests.
The Force, however, denied the allegations, dismissing them as baseless and unfounded, citing a lack of credible evidence to support the claims.
The letter stated: “We have thoroughly reviewed the claims and can confidently assert that they are completely false.
“The Nigeria Police Force acted with utmost restraint and professionalism, even in the face of provocation and violent attacks.”
The NPF maintained that its personnel adhered to global best practices during the protests, employing minimal force only when necessary.
It also noted that its officers ensured the safety of peaceful protesters while apprehending criminal elements that attempted to hijack the demonstrations.
The statement added: “The public can attest to our commitment to maintaining law and order while respecting the rights of citizens.
“Such falsehoods demoralise our officers who risk their lives daily to protect the public.”
The NPF, in its letter demanded that Amnesty International issue a retraction and a public apology within seven days.
It warned that failure to comply with its demand would necessitate exploring legal avenues to safeguard its integrity.
“We expect Amnesty International to uphold the principles of fairness and accountability by retracting this damaging report.
“We will continue to serve with diligence, professionalism, and respect for human rights.”
Persecondnews recalls that the #EndBadGovernance protests in Abuja took a deadly turn on August 1, 2024, as security forces clashed with demonstrators, resulting in the death of at least one protester.
The protests, which began peacefully, were part of a nationwide movement demanding an end to economic hardships and bad governance in Nigeria.
Protesters had assembled at Eagles Square in Abuja but were tear gassed when they attempted to march on a main road leading into the city centre.
Despite the deployment of a police helicopter to scare protesters, they defied the order and continued their demonstrations.
The protests culminated in a ‘One-Million-Man March’ on August 10, with protesters taking to the streets in Abuja to demand change.
The Nigerian government faced criticism for its handling of the protests, with many calling for an end to the violence and for the government to address the economic hardships and governance issues that sparked the protests.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, condemned the use of force against protesters and called for due process and the release of detained protesters.
Following a national outage, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on November 5 struck out the treason charge brought against some minors arraigned by the Inspector General of Police for participating in the August #EndBadGovernance protest.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu struck out the charges after the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) withdrew the charges on behalf of the federal government.
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