Amnesty International Nigeria has revealed that no fewer than 23 people have been killed in different parts of the country as a result of mob violence, urging the Federal Government to take urgent and decisive action to curb what it described as a growing breakdown of law and order.
The Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Mr. Isah Sunusi, disclosed this in Kano while unveiling a public awareness initiative under the organisation’s nationwide campaign against mob violence.
Sunusi noted that Amnesty International has tracked at least 155 cases of mob violence across Nigeria over the past decade, many of which led to fatalities.
According to him, recent documentation by the organisation shows that at least 23 people lost their lives to mob actions across the country. “In our report, we documented at least 23 cases of people who were killed as a result of mob violence across Nigeria,” he said.
He explained that victims of mob violence are often individuals accused of offences such as blasphemy, theft or witchcraft, who are attacked and killed without investigation or recourse to due process.
Describing the trend as alarming and unacceptable, Sunusi stressed that no society that claims to be governed by the rule of law should tolerate extrajudicial killings, calling on authorities to ensure accountability and protect the rights of all citizens.
