….Calls End To Bloody Military Crackdown On IMN
Abdulazeez Abdulwahab
AHEAD of the planned nationwide protests slated for today Monday 7 April 2025, in response to the increasing clampdown on freedom of expression through the manipulation of the draconian Cybercrimes Act, Amnesty International says the Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both the country’s own constitution and human rights treaties including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.
Government officials, the organisation insists, must also refrain from issuing rhetoric aimed at demonizing protesters and stifling peaceful dissent. The planned protest, it further stated, should be an opportunity for authorities to listen to the voices of the people and uphold freedom for all.
“Authorities must not use the proposed nationwide protests as a ploy to crackdown on human rights including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. People must be allowed to freely exercise their right to peaceful protest. Any act capable of undermining freedom of assembly is illegal and portrays unacceptable intolerance of peaceful dissent.
“Authorities must show a commitment to upholding the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations by allowing people to freely exercise their human rights including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association”, Amnesty International emphasized.
Nigeria: End The Bloody Military Crackdown On IMN
Meanwhile, the organisation has equally pointed out that since December 2015, the Nigerian military has killed over 500 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in Zaria, Kaduna and Abuja.
According to the organisation, between 12–14 December 2015, the Nigerian military carried out a mass slaughter of hundreds of men, women and children in Zaria and attempted to cover up the crime, demonstrating an utter contempt for human life and accountability. “Over 350 people killed over a night. 
“On 22 April 2016, Amnesty International published evidence gathered on the ground revealing how the Nigerian military burned people alive, razed buildings and dumped victims’ bodies in mass graves.
“In October 2018, Amnesty International obtained evidence that the Nigerian military used automatic firearms during a peaceful IMN protest, in which at least 122 protesters sustained gunshot wounds and at least 45 persons were killed. Some of the victims were children.”
Amnesty International says it has evidence that the military used automatic firearms during an October 2018 protest, in which at least 122 protesters sustained gunshot wounds and at least 45 were killed.
It further says when dealing with IMN processions, the military always uses live ammunition and aims to kill. “No evidence to show that the IMN protests posed an imminent threat to life.
“Nigerian military’s frequent and utterly needless resort to violence against peaceful protests of IMN members is a stain on the country’s image. The IMN members were perfectly within their rights to carry out religious procession. Live bullets can’t be a means of managing protests”, Amnesty International stressed.
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