Nigeria Police Force Updates on Nationwide Protests and Amnesty International Report

The Nigeria Police Force provided an update on incidents reported during the nationwide protests against the nation's economic suffering on Saturday.

The Police also rejected an Amnesty International report stating that 13 people have died as a result of the ongoing protests, which started on August 1, 2024. Additionally, the Force reported that it had taken custody of 681 people accused of committing various crimes and had confiscated two AK-47 firearms and a variety of live ammunition from demonstrators.

Law-abiding residents were urged to leave the protest immediately after the police issued a warning that it had become violent.

Seven deaths have been reported thus far during the protests, according to a statement released on Saturday by Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi on behalf of the Nigerian Police. The statement claims that during protester attacks, nine police officers suffered injuries of varying degrees.

Adejobi provided a summary of the following occurrences that occurred during the first two days of the nationwide protests: “In Borno State, four individuals lost their lives and thirty-four were severely injured in a terrorist attack by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP elements who infiltrated the crowd of protesters and detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

“Additionally, an incident occurred involving an unregistered Honda Prelude car that ran into the protesters, resulting in the deaths of two civilians.”

The police official added that another incident had been recorded in Kebbi State's Yauri Local Government Area, where a gang of people had banded together to rob a business. One of the looters was killed by a local vigilante.

Adejobi clarified that, beyond the incidents listed, no more deaths from the protests were reported. However, there were reports of armed robberies, arson, mischief, looting of public and private establishments, and destruction of both public and private property during the demonstration.

He claimed that several recoveries from the suspects were made, and arrests were made in relation to the criminal incidents.