Amnesty International demands justice over alleged extrajudicial #EndSARS killing of journalist Pelumi Onifade

Crime Diary, Obituaries

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Amnesty International Nigeria has called for justice over the alleged killing of Pelumi Onifade, a 20-year-old journalist who died during the #EndSARS protests in Lagos in October 2020.

In a statement issued on Friday and titled “The Brutal Killing of Pelumi Onifade,” the rights organisation alleged that Onifade was killed by members of the Lagos State Police Task Force after he was detained during the protests.

According to Amnesty International, Onifade was covering a demonstration in Abule Egba, Lagos State, for Gboah TV when he was struck by a bullet. The organisation alleged that members of the Lagos State Task Force subsequently dragged him, while bleeding, into a van.

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Amnesty further alleged that Onifade had been detained earlier on October 24, 2020, after filming a Lagos politician allegedly wielding a gun during the protests.

The rights group said DNA tests and a post-mortem examination confirmed that Onifade died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Amnesty alleged that his body was later deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital, Ikorodu, Lagos.

The organisation called for the case to mark the beginning of what it described as a process of justice for Onifade, who it said was carrying out his work as a journalist when he was killed.

“The case of Pelumi Onifade is just one of many shocking atrocities committed by Nigeria’s security agencies during #EndSARS protests,” Amnesty said.

Amnesty International has previously documented excessive use of force and killings during the #EndSARS protests, including the reported deaths of protesters in Lagos and elsewhere. The organisation called for investigations and accountability for those responsible.

#EndSARS protests

The #EndSARS movement erupted in October 2020 following years of public complaints about abuses attributed to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit established to combat violent crime.

Amnesty International documented allegations of police abuses including excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings during the protests.

The protests, driven largely by young Nigerians, initially focused on demands for the dissolution of SARS and an end to police brutality before expanding into broader calls for accountability, justice and governance reforms.

The Federal Government announced the dissolution of SARS on October 11, 2020, but protests continued in several parts of the country.

Amnesty condemns alleged use of force in Minna

In a separate development, Amnesty International has condemned what it described as the use of lethal force against protesters in Minna, Niger State, following the reported deaths of 37 youths in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The rights organisation alleged that some protesters were shot and left with severe injuries, and said at least two people were reportedly killed during the protests.

Amnesty called for an independent and adequately resourced investigation into the reported incidents.

It also urged the authorities to provide parents and relatives of victims with the necessary support to pursue justice and obtain appropriate remedies.

The organisation said the reported incidents underscored the need for security agencies to respect the right to life and ensure that the use of force during protests complies with applicable laws and human rights standards.