Amnesty International Slams Nigerian Police Over Repeated Attacks On Sowore, Protesters
Amnesty International has condemned the Nigerian Police for what it described as the “relentless and reckless intimidation” of human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and other peaceful protesters.
The global rights group, in a statement on Friday, urged the Nigerian government to stop harassing Sowore and other citizens exercising their rights to free expression and peaceful assembly.
It expressed concern over what it called the repeated targeting of Sowore, noting that this was the second assault on him in 2025.
Amnesty recalled that in August, police officers allegedly injured Sowore’s right arm while trying to forcibly move him to a secret location.
The organisation accused the Nigeria Police Force of consistently violating human rights through the unlawful targeting of activists and suppression of peaceful demonstrations.
It also called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to end the “weaponisation” of security agencies against critics, journalists, and whistleblowers.
According to the statement, “The Nigerian authorities must end the relentless and reckless intimidation and harassment of human rights defender Omoyele Sowore and other activists exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
“This is the second time the police have assaulted Sowore this year. In August, the police injured his right arm while trying to transfer him to a secret location by force.
“The Nigeria Police must stop its frequent violations of human rights through the unlawful targeting of activists. President Bola Tinubu’s government must end the weaponisation of security agents to harass and abuse critics and instead uphold the human rights of everyone in the country.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
