Kehinde Fajobi
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has condemned the harassment of Amnesty International Nigeria and urged Nigerians to expose anyone violating the Anti-Torture Act 2017.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 2025, Falana criticised the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for intimidating Amnesty International following a report on police brutality during the 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests.
The police had demanded a retraction and public apology from Amnesty International over a publication titled Nigeria: Bloody August: Nigerian government’s violent crackdown on #EndBadGovernance protests.
The report accused the NPF of human rights violations and excessive violence, claims the police rejected as false.
They threatened legal action if Amnesty did not comply within seven days.
Falana described the police’s actions as a “reprisal, harassment, and intimidation,” which he said could foster a climate of fear, limiting the ability of civil society organisations, activists, and the media to function freely.
He expressed concern over the erosion of human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria, urging the police to cease such practices.
“The reprisal, harassment, and intimidation of Amnesty International will foster a climate of fear and prevent other civil society organisations, activists, human rights defenders, other Nigerians, and media outlets from exercising their rights freely and safely,” Falana stated.
He called for the police to respect human rights and not impede activists, journalists, or NGOs carrying out their legitimate work.
“The work of activists, human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society organisations is essential to ensure accountability for victims of human rights violations and promote the rule of law and democracy in the country,” he said.
Falana also emphasised that the Nigerian constitution and international treaties guarantee fundamental human rights, including the right to protest.
He called for reforms to ensure law enforcement adheres to the principles of necessity, proportionality, and non-violence during protests, including clear protocols to prevent the use of lethal force.