Amnesty International demands probe into killing of teenager in Borno

Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to investigate the alleged killing of a teenager, Umar Muhammad, popularly known as Gajiye, by a police officer during a Maulid celebration in Banki, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

The organisation made the call in a post on its official Facebook page on Sunday, describing the incident as an alleged extrajudicial execution and demanding accountability for the boy’s death.

According to the organisation, eyewitnesses reported that the Divisional Police Officer, a Superintendent of Police, and his team initially visited the venue of the Islamic gathering to complain about what they described as excessive noise from loudspeakers.

Amnesty International said the organisers immediately complied with the officers’ request by disconnecting the loudspeakers.

However, the organisation alleged that the DPO returned shortly afterwards with a team of police officers, who dispersed the gathering and fired shots indiscriminately.

“Umar was shot dead and left in a pool of blood,” the organisation said, adding that the teenager was allegedly shot at close range.

Amnesty International called on the Nigeria Police Force to conduct an investigation.

“The Nigeria Police must impartially and immediately investigate this incident and ensure that all the police officers involved are held to account in fair trials,” it said.

The organisation also expressed concern that the incident reflected a wider pattern of alleged human rights violations in which perpetrators are rarely held accountable.

“What happened to Umar Muhammad exposes a pattern of ruthless human rights violations in which suspected perpetrators are never held to account,” Amnesty International said.