Violence at protests: Amnesty criticises killing of demonstrators in Nigeria

Protests continue in West African Nigeria, even after several deaths and curfews. Since Thursday, young people in particular have taken to the streets to demonstrate against economic policy in Africa’s most populous country.

According to the human rights organization Amnesty International, the police killed 13 peaceful demonstrators, using “deliberately lethal tactics” and live firearms. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, spoke of a mass uprising and looting. There were unprovoked attacks on security forces. One police officer was killed.

Protests to last ten days

Curfews are in force in several states. However, there were renewed protests in the capital Abuja, the metropolis Lagos and Port Harcourt, the largest city in the oil region of the Niger Delta. The organizers want to demonstrate for ten days under the motto “#EndBadGovernance”.

Civil society groups called for the protests to express their opposition to the economic measures of President Bola Tinubu. Shortly after taking office in May 2023, he devalued the national currency and eliminated fuel subsidies, among other things.

Large parts of oil-rich Nigeria are affected by corruption, poverty and serious violence from bandits and terrorists. At the same time, entrepreneurship and pop culture are booming in the metropolises of the coastal state with its more than 220 million inhabitants, more than half of whom are younger than 17 years old. Many Nigerians want to leave the country and build their lives elsewhere. Protests led by young people have also caused unrest in Kenya and Uganda in recent weeks.