Amnesty International Alleges Widespread Human Rights Violations Under Late Buhari’s Administration

Amnesty International has accused Nigeria’s late President Muhammadu Buhari of presiding over a period marked by systemic human rights abuses, unlawful killings, and violations of fundamental freedoms during his tenure from 2015 to 2023.

In a report released on Monday, the global rights organization cited multiple incidents involving state security forces and other armed actors, including extrajudicial killings, suppression of dissent, attacks on journalists, and abuse of vulnerable populations.

Among the most severe incidents highlighted was the Zaria massacre in December 2015, where over 350 men, women, and children were reportedly killed by the Nigerian military.

Amnesty also pointed to the targeting of pro-Biafra activists, stating that at least 150 peaceful protesters were killed between August 2015 and August 2016, and thousands more during subsequent rallies, including the 2016 Biafra Remembrance Day in Onitsha, when security forces reportedly stormed homes and a church, killing and burning several participants.

The report linked the rise of communal violence between farmers and herders to government inaction, noting that over 3,641 deaths occurred between 2015 and 2018, with the majority in 2018.

Restrictions on press freedom were also cited. Amnesty reported that between January and September 2019, 19 journalists and media practitioners were attacked, arrested, or harassed, forcing some to go into hiding, while major newspapers like Daily Trust and Premium Times were raided.

The organization further criticized the government’s handling of the #EndSARS protests in 2020, during which at least 56 protesters nationwide were killed, including 12 at Lekki Toll Gate and Alausa on October 20, 2020.

Amnesty also raised concerns over the treatment of women and girls rescued from Boko Haram, alleging that many were further abused and raped by security forces claiming to provide protection.

The report attributes these widespread abuses to systemic failures in accountability and justice during Buhari’s administration, and warns that repeated government promises to tackle human rights violations failed to yield meaningful results.