A report by the CLEEN Foundation has revealed that six people were killed in Niger State during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protest.
The foundation also disclosed that a total of 23 people lost their lives during the demonstrations, all from northern Nigeria.
This was made known on Thursday in Minna, Niger State, during the presentation of the report titled “Report on the Conduct of Law Enforcement Personnel during the August 2024 Nationwide Protest in Nigeria.”
The findings contradict the claims of the then Niger State Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmaman, who has since been promoted to Assistant Inspector General of Police. Danmaman had insisted that no fatalities were recorded in Niger State during the protests.
However, the program manager of CLEEN Foundation, Chogozirim Okoro, stated that similar presentations had already taken place in Abuja and Kaduna, where killings were also reported. The final presentation was held in Niger State, one of the locations that witnessed casualties.
According to Okoro, “In Niger state, six persons were killed in Suleja and Tafa local government areas. Four persons were killed in Kano, three persons were killed in Kaduna and Borno respectively, two persons each in Katsina and Jigawa, and one person each in Bauchi, Gombe, and Kebbi states, respectively.”
The report categorized the protests into peaceful and violent demonstrations. It highlighted that the protests remained largely peaceful in southern Nigeria but turned violent in northern states, resulting in loss of lives and destruction of public property. Observers reported violence in states such as Kano, Niger, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, and Borno.
CLEEN Foundation’s Executive Director, Peter Maduoma, emphasized the need for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies. He recommended steps including strengthening accountability mechanisms, regular human rights training, better community engagement, improved misinformation management, continuous demilitarization of crowd control, and stronger protection of citizens’ rights.
The report concluded that the 2024 protests underscored the urgent need for reforms in civil protest policing in Nigeria. “Improving the policing of civil protest in Nigeria is crucial for protecting human rights, promoting peaceful expression, and fostering a healthy relationship between citizens and law enforcement agencies,” the report stated.
