BREAKING: Over 120 People Killed Since You Became President, Protecting Lives Should Be Your Utmost Priority – Amnesty International Tells Tinubu

The group said the President is failing on his duty to protect the lives of Nigerians....CONTINUE READING

Stating this in a statement made available on its official website on Thursday, the right group lamented that over 120 people have been killed by assailants since Tinubu took over as the country’s president in May.

The Acting Director of Amnesty International, in Nigeria Isa Sanusi, while speaking on the effort of the government on the rising insecurity, tasked president Tinubu to take urgent steps towards stopping the bloodletting.

He 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 fuelling 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.”