Amnesty International Nigeria has criticised the Nigerian government and its security agencies for failing to investigate the killing of at least 150 pro-Biafra protesters in the South-East between August 2015 and August 2016 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement issued on Monday via its official X handle, the human rights organisation accused Nigerian security forces, led by the military, of carrying out what it described as a campaign of extrajudicial killings and violence against peaceful demonstrators.
“Between August 2015 to August 2016, the Nigerian security forces, led by the military, embarked on a chilling campaign of extrajudicial executions and violence,” Amnesty International Nigeria said, adding that the actions resulted in the deaths of at least 150 peaceful pro-Biafra protesters in the South-East.
The organisation said that nearly a decade after the incidents, victims and survivors have been left without justice, with no credible investigations conducted and no individuals held accountable.
“Despite overwhelming evidence that the Nigerian security forces committed gross human rights violations, including extrajudicial executions and torture, no investigations have been carried out by the authorities,” Amnesty stated, calling for justice for victims and survivors.
Amnesty said its conclusions were based on extensive research, including eyewitness accounts, medical records and video evidence, which it said showed that excessive and lethal force was used against unarmed protesters.
According to the organisation, peaceful demonstrators were allegedly shot at close range, arbitrarily arrested, tortured and, in many cases, killed. It described the scale of the alleged abuses and the lack of accountability as deeply concerning.
The rights group warned that the government’s failure to act has reinforced a culture of impunity within Nigeria’s security agencies, arguing that continued inaction sends a signal that unlawful killings can go unpunished.
Amnesty International Nigeria urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to order independent, impartial and transparent investigations into the killings and to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted in line with international standards. It also called for reparations for the families of those killed.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Nigerian government or security agencies to the allegations raised by Amnesty International Nigeria.
The pro-Biafra movement, which campaigns for the secession of Nigeria’s South-East region, remains a sensitive security issue. Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns over the response of security forces to protests linked to the movement, particularly those involving the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
