Over 120 People Killed Since Tinubu’s Inauguration, Says Amnesty International

International watchdog, Amnesty International, yesterday, lamented that more than 120 people had so far been killed since President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023.

In a statement signed by its Acting Nigeria Director, Isa Sanusi, the organisation said the brazen failure of the federal government to protect Nigerians was gradually becoming the norm in the country.

Sanusi stated that though the federal government said it would enact security measures in response to various attacks by marauding gangs, the promises had not translated into meaningful action to protect the lives of vulnerable communities.

He added that the Nigerian authorities had also consistently failed to carry out independent, effective, impartial and thorough investigations into the killings, noting that this has been fuelling the impunity.

Why he called on the federal government to urgently take steps to stop the bloodletting, the acting director lamented that rural communities, always bracing themselves for the next bout of violence, were facing deadly attacks by rampaging killers.

Sanusi urged the new government to ensure that protecting lives was its utmost priority and advised the federal and state governments to ensure that those suspected of criminal responsibility for the crimes were urgently brought to justice in fair trials.

He said the Nigerian authorities were obliged under international human rights laws, regional human rights treaties, and Nigerian constitution to protect the human rights of all people without discrimination, which according to him, includes the right to life.

The statement said, “It is horrific that attacks by gunmen have claimed at least 123 lives mere weeks after President Bola Tinubu assumed office on 29 May.

“Rural communities, always bracing themselves for the next bout of violence, are facing deadly attacks by rampaging killers.

“Protecting lives should be the utmost priority of the new government. The Nigerian authorities must urgently take steps to stop the bloodletting.

“The brazen failure of the authorities to protect the people of Nigeria is gradually becoming the ‘norm’ in the country.

“The government said it will enact security measures in response to these attacks, but these promises have not translated into meaningful action that protects the lives of vulnerable communities.

“The Nigerian authorities have also consistently failed to carry out independent, effective, impartial and thorough investigations into these killings – and this is fueling impunity.

“The Nigerian authorities are obliged under international human rights law, regional human rights treaties and Nigeria’s own constitution to protect the human rights of all people without discrimination – and that includes the right to life.

 “Those suspected of criminal responsibility for these callous crimes must urgently be brought to justice in fair trials.”