Nigeria: Killings by security forces in Northern Nigeria

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT AI Index: AFR 44/028/2009 31 July 2009 Nigeria: Killings by security forces in Northern Nigeria Amnesty International today condemned the illegal killings by the Nigerian security forces during the recent fighting in the north of the country and called on the Inspector General of Police to publicly state that anyone responsible for illegal killings during ope [...] Amnesty International also called for an investigation into the killing in detention of Mohammed Yusuf, believed to be the leader of the Boko Haram sect, by Nigerian security forces on Thursday 30 July. [...] Amnesty International opposes all unlawful killings, whether committed by armed forces under the control of the government or armed groups. [...] Illegal killings by armed groups do not absolve governments of the responsibility to conduct security operations in a manner that does not lead to illegal killings by state security forces themselves. [...] Although the government claims to have a zero-tolerance policy on extrajudicial executions and torture by the police, there are consistent reports that the Nigeria Police Force executes detainees in custody, suspected armed robbers under arrest, people who refuse to pay bribes or people stopped during road checks.