SERAP Urges President Tinubu to Halt Police Harassment of Amnesty International
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and direct the Nigeria Police Force to cease its harassment and threats against Amnesty International for defending the rights of Nigerians.
This plea from SERAP comes in response to the Police’s demand that Amnesty International apologize for its report on last year’s #EndBadGovernance protests. The Police had accused the human rights organization of publishing misleading information and threatened legal action unless Amnesty retracted its report titled “Bloody August: Nigeria Government’s Violent Crackdown on End Bad Governance Protests.”
The Nigeria Police Force expressed concerns that the report undermined public trust in the Police and tarnished the reputation of its officers, who they claim risk their lives to protect citizens. They also demanded that Amnesty International issue a public apology within seven days or face legal action.
In response, SERAP condemned the Police’s actions, describing them as an escalating attack on civic space in Nigeria. In a public statement, the advocacy group urged President Tinubu to act swiftly to stop the police from targeting Amnesty International. SERAP emphasized that Amnesty International was merely carrying out its duty to defend the rights of Nigerians.
“The threat from the Police highlights a growing crackdown on civil society in Nigeria,” SERAP said, adding that the President must ensure that organizations defending human rights are not subjected to intimidation or legal harassment.
