Amnesty International Nigeria has called on authorities to urgently investigate the killing of five people in Kano, blaming armed political thugs for the violence.
In a statement on Wednesday shared on the organisation’s X handle, Amnesty International said the attack marks a serious rise in political violence in the state. It described the incident as the bloodiest surge of political thuggery in recent years.
According to Amnesty, videos reviewed by the group show armed men moving in groups, chasing people who were attempting to flee before killing them in the streets.
After the attack, victims were allegedly seen laying in pools of blood in other videos.
The group added that the assailants were observed yelling violent chants and donning apparel associated with the ruling party. It further stated that there have been reports of political supporters attacking perceived or actual opponents.
Amnesty International disclosed that it is looking into claims that certain prominent Kano politicians and government officials could be responsible for the violence.
The group stated that before, during, and after political activities, "the Nigerian authorities, politicians, and political parties must respect the rule of law and ensure that lives and property are not put at risk and are protected."
Additionally, it cautioned that citizens' rights are being impacted, stating that "people's right to freedom of association and movement must be upheld and protected."
The group also expressed worries about the violence's broader effects on the state's democracy.
"People's ability to freely participate in political affairs is being undermined by this trend of violence that is becoming rampant in Kano," stated Amnesty.
"Increasing political violence by armed thugs working for some politicians in Kano is creating a toxic climate of fear and infringes on the rights of people to freely participate in politics and political activities," the statement continued.
Such occurrences, the organization cautioned, indicate an increasing trend of political attacks in recent months. According to the report, armed groups associated with politicians are posing a significant risk to public safety.
Amnesty International emphasized that authorities must move quickly to prosecute those accountable, especially those who funded the attacks.