Amnesty International Nigeria has raised significant concerns regarding ongoing human rights abuses by the Nigeria Police, including unlawful detention, extortion, torture, and sexual violence, four years after the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.
The protests, which occurred from October 1 to 20, 2020, sought to end police brutality, particularly aimed at the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). However, these demonstrations were abruptly ended on October 20, 2020, due to tragic events at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where lives were lost during an alleged military shooting.
In a statement released on Sunday, Amnesty International called on the Nigerian government to address these ongoing violations, which perpetuate a culture of impunity and leave citizens vulnerable to the same abuses that ignited the #EndSARS movement.
Isa Sanusi, the Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, emphasized the urgency of the situation: “Amnesty International continues to receive—almost daily—reports of human rights violations by the police across Nigeria, including unlawful detention, extortion, torture, sexual violence, and in some cases, extrajudicial execution. The Nigerian authorities still have the opportunity to reform the police and create an institution with zero tolerance for human rights violations.”
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Sanusi urged that this opportunity must not be wasted, stressing the need for accountability in police actions. He warned that conditions are regressing to the alarming pre-#EndSARS era, where police felt free to commit human rights abuses without repercussions.
He further insisted that the Nigerian authorities must fulfill their promises to address these violations, adhering to both national and international law. Sanusi called for comprehensive investigations into all atrocities surrounding the #EndSARS protests, ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice.
Amnesty International documented several cases of extrajudicial killings by police since the protests, including: Jumoke Oyeleke (25), shot on July 3, 2021, during a Yoruba nation rally in Lagos, Mosurat Ojuade, an 18-year-old fashion designer, killed by police on September 11, 2021 and Paul Durowaiye, shot over a dispute regarding sachet water on January 22, 2022.
Others highlighted by Amnesty International are Oliver, killed by a police sergeant over a minor argument on June 4, 2022, Gafaru Buraimoh, shot on December 7, 2022, in Lagos, Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer shot at close range by a police officer on December 25, 2022 and Onyeka Ibe, shot to death on April 5, 2023, for refusing to pay a bribe.
Additionally, Amnesty cited a leaked government memo from July 19, 2023, revealing that the Lagos State government allocated over N61 million for the mass burial of 103 victims of the #EndSARS protests. However, the identities of these victims remain undisclosed, and those responsible for their deaths have yet to be held accountable.
Among Nigeria’s 36 states, only Lagos has publicly disclosed findings from its #EndSARS judicial panel. Furthermore, only two states, Ekiti and Osun, along with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have fully compensated survivors and the families of police brutality victims.
In contrast, seven states—Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara—have yet to establish any judicial panel to address these critical issues.
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