Nigeria’s police chief has ordered a review of a damning Amnesty International report that accuses the force and other security agencies of widespread human rights violations and extrajudicial killings in the country’s South-East.
The 128-page report, A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria, alleges systemic abuses by security forces in the region, where government operations against separatist groups have often led to civilian casualties.
In a statement on Saturday, police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the inspector-general, Kayode Egbetokun, had directed departments and field formations to conduct a “line-by-line assessment” of the report. The process, he said, would involve cross-checking Amnesty’s claims against operational records, field intelligence and situation reports from tactical units in the South-East.
While affirming the police’s commitment to accountability and rights-based policing, Adejobi accused Amnesty of past inaccuracies and “sweeping generalisations”. “The current review will therefore be guided by facts, operational evidence, and a dedication to institutional integrity,” he said.
The force, he added, would issue a detailed, evidence-based response once the review was concluded, and pledged to continue reforms, human rights training and improvements to internal accountability mechanisms.
“The Inspector-General of Police reaffirms the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to lawful, accountable, and rights-based policing,” the statement read.
The police also signalled openness to dialogue with civil society groups, the National Human Rights Commission and international partners over the allegations.
Amnesty’s findings are the latest in a series of critical reports on Nigerian security forces, which rights groups accuse of heavy-handed tactics in counterinsurgency and anti-separatist operations. Abuja has repeatedly denied systematic abuses, but pressure is mounting for more transparency and accountability.
