Mob violence threatens right to life in Nigeria – Amnesty International

Amnesty International has raised serious concern over the rising cases of mob violence in Nigeria, describing it as one of the biggest threats to the right to life in the country.

The organisation made this known in a post shared on its official X handle on Sunday, where it criticised the failure of authorities to properly investigate and prosecute those involved in such killings.

According to Amnesty, the continued occurrence of mob attacks, with little accountability, shows a major gap in the country’s justice system.

“The menace of mob violence is perhaps one of the biggest threats to the right to life in Nigeria,” the organisation said.

It added that the situation has persisted for years, with very few cases leading to arrests or convictions.

“The fact that these killings have been happening for a long time, with few cases investigated and prosecuted, highlights the authorities’ shocking failure to protect people from harm and violence,” it stated.

Amnesty also pointed out that the pattern of mob violence differs across regions in Nigeria.

In the southern part of the country, it said such attacks are often targeted at people accused of theft, ritual activities, or witchcraft.

However, in the northern region, the organisation noted that mob violence is mostly directed at individuals accused of blasphemy, sometimes with the backing of religious figures.

It called on authorities to take decisive steps to protect citizens, ensure proper investigations, and bring perpetrators to justice.