The Nigerian army and police killed at least 12 people who were taking part in peaceful demonstrations against police violence in October last year.

This was the finding of an investigation conducted by Amnesty International. The NGO confirmed that the killings occurred in Lekki and Alausa in Lagos State.

The protests were part of a movement calling for the removal of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), known as the #EndSARS movement.  Demonstrators wanted an end to the common practices of graft and bribery.

Evidence from witnesses, videos and hospital personnel confirmed that, on October 20 2020, soldiers fired at protesters without warning.

Alausa protesters said they were attacked by a group of soldiers and police from the Rapid Intervention Brigade. At least two people died, and one was in a critical condition.

Amnesty International said at least 56 people had been killed across the country since the protests began.

A report in The New York Times said the NGO had documented at least 82 cases of torture, ill treatment, and extrajudicial executions by SARS officers between January 2017 and May 2020.

Osai Ojigho, the director of Amnesty International in Nigeria, was quoted as saying: “The complete failure of Nigerian authorities to bring an end to the gross violations perpetuated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad or to bring any SARS officer to justice is shocking and unacceptable. Nigerians are outraged by the systemic human rights violations perpetrated by the SARS with impunity.

“The systemic use of torture and other ill treatment by SARS officers for police investigations and the continued existence of torture chambers within the Nigerian Police Force points to an absolute disregard for international human rights laws and standards.”