Published on: April 3, 2025
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By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – A group of concerned Abuja indigenes has called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the violent crackdown on Shi’ite protests in the nation’s capital.
The group condemned the actions of security forces, who, they claim, have repeatedly attacked citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest.
At a briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Ayedo Danjuma Abdul, spokesperson for the group, highlighted a pattern of violent repression, starting with the unprovoked attack on the End Bad Governance protest, followed by the fatal shooting of two individuals and the arrest of dozens during the Arba’een Symbolic Trek by the Islamic Movement.
They called for full accountability from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to clarify who authorised the deadly crackdown.
The group also appealed to the international community, including human rights organisations, to pressure the federal government into launching an independent investigation into these human rights violations.
Abdul noted: “The latest brutality occurred during the International Quds Day protest, where security forces used weapons, including armoured vehicles, to shoot at protesters carrying placards and chanting slogans in solidarity with Gaza. Many were killed, hundreds arrested, and several others injured.
“It is unacceptable that security forces have continued to attack peaceful demonstrators. We demand justice and accountability. We call on the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate these attacks and ensure that those responsible face the full weight of the law.”
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