On Saturday, the Nigerian police disputed the casualty figures reported by Amnesty International regarding the #EndBadGovernance protests. The rights group claimed that security forces killed 13 protesters during the demonstrations, which began on Thursday, but police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi dismissed these allegations.
Adejobi reported that 681 suspects had been arrested for various violent crimes in connection with the protests, with arrests made in several states, including Abuja, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, and Sokoto.
He also clarified that a policeman, initially reported dead, “miraculously survived” but remains in critical condition. Additionally, nine officers sustained injuries from attacks by protesters.
According to Adejobi, the police did not kill any protesters, despite provocations, while seven individuals died under various circumstances unrelated to police actions. He detailed specific incidents, including:
1. A terrorist attack in Borno State by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP elements, resulting in four deaths and 34 injuries among protesters due to an improvised explosive device (IED).
2. Two deaths caused by an unregistered Honda Prelude car that collided with protesters, with the driver fleeing the scene.
3. A shooting in Yauri, Kebbi State, where a local vigilante killed one person during an attempted looting.
Adejobi emphasized that these incidents brought the total number of deaths to seven, countering Amnesty International’s claims of deliberate lethal tactics by security personnel.