Amnesty International has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the ongoing killings in Nigeria’s South-East region.
Speaking in Lagos on Thursday during the relaunch of its report, A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria, Amnesty’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, said the violence has persisted due to government inaction.
The organisation reported that at least 1,844 people were killed between January 2021 and June 2023, blaming the crisis on both state and non-state actors — including security agencies, paramilitary groups, vigilantes, criminal gangs, and cultists. It linked the insecurity to the government’s clampdown on pro-Biafra protests since 2015, citing unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, and destruction of property.
Sanusi said the silence of South-East governors and security agencies in response to Amnesty’s inquiries shows a lack of seriousness in tackling the crisis. He urged the government to investigate allegations of rights abuses by security forces and ensure the safety of lives and property.
He stressed that authorities must fulfil their constitutional and international obligations by protecting citizens’ rights and conducting independent and transparent investigations into all violations.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered a review of Amnesty’s allegations, while the Defence Headquarters has denied any involvement of troops in extrajudicial killings.
Despite these denials, killings in the region remain a concern, with at least 12 people reportedly killed in Imo State between July and August 2025.
