Amnesty International Nigeria has strongly criticized the mass trial of #EndBadGovernance protesters, which is set to commence today in Abuja, Kano, and Kaduna.
The human rights organization condemned the trial as a “sham” and an attempt by the government to stifle dissent.
In a statement released on its X platform on Monday, Amnesty International Nigeria expressed deep concern over the proceedings, labeling them an unfair and manipulative exercise.
“Amnesty International condemns the sham trial of the protesters even before it began, and calls for an end to these endless bizarre attempts to deprive people of the right to peaceful protest,” the organization stated.
“The unfair trial is only a disguised exercise solely aimed at punishing dissenters.”
The protesters, who were arrested during the hunger and hardship protests in August 2024, are facing serious charges, including treason—a crime that carries the death penalty.
Amnesty International highlighted the gravity of these charges, noting that they are part of a broader strategy by the Nigerian authorities to silence critical voices.
“Some of the charges to be filed against the protesters, ranging from treason, which carries the death penalty, and allegations of ‘plans to destabilize Nigeria,’ show how far the Nigerian authorities can go in manipulating the criminal justice system to silence critical voices,” the statement added.
Amnesty International also criticized the Nigerian government for prioritizing the punishment of protesters over addressing the root causes of the unrest.
“The Nigerian government has been wrongfully placing priority on punishing protesters, without saying even a word on the urgent need to impartially investigate the killing of dozens of protesters across Kano, Katsina, Suleja/Tafa, Jigawa, and Maiduguri,” the organization noted.
The statement further condemned the administration of President Bola Tinubu for its handling of the situation, calling the charges of treason against those protesting poverty and corruption “beyond absurd and baseless.”
