Amnesty International also expressed concern over the Nigerian authorities’ “growing hostility to dissent” and the “relentless repression of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly”.
“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,” the statement read.
The organisation called on the Nigerian government to take concrete steps to address the impact of recent reforms on economic, social and cultural rights, including people’s rights to health and education.
“All those arrested for taking part in the protest must be released immediately and unconditionally. Authorities must also end the rampant violations of the people’s rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” Sanusi added.
Responding to the allegation, the Niger State Police Command, in a report made available by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, on Thursday, acknowledged the chaos that broke out in Tafa Local Government Council Secretariat.
He noted that miscreants looted, vandalised and set part of the building ablaze, adding that vehicles were damaged and burnt, while security agencies responded, made arrests and dispersed the hoodlums.
According to Abiodun, during the process, there was no loss of life, and protesters were dispersed with the use of minimum force. He, however, stated that some miscreants were mildly injured during stampede and most of them were taken to different medical facilities for treatment.
In a statement on Friday in Abuja, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, condemned the hijack of the protest in some places.
He called for the protection of the protesters, and cautioned them against destroying any property and public infrastructure.
