The CLEEN Foundation is to publicly present its findings regarding law enforcement conduct during the August 2024 nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests, in Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement by the the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, Mr. Peter Maduoma in Abuja.
According to the statement, the event is scheduled to hold on Thursday, the 13th of March, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Consort Luxury Suite, Kaura District, Abuja.
Mr. Maduoma explained the 2024 protests, tagged #EndBadGovernance, erupted across Nigeria from August 1 to 10, 2024, in response to governance failures.
He stated that the demonstrations, which began peacefully, escalated as security forces imposed curfews and deployed law enforcement personnel, including the military, to quell unrest.
According to the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, to assess the conduct of law enforcement during the protests, the Foundation, with support from SPRiNG, deployed 109 trained observers nationwide.
He said using a triangulated methodology, these observers monitored real-time interactions between security agencies and protesters, focusing on the use of force, human rights violations, and adherence to legal standards.
Mr. Maduoma announced that the report from the observation highlights major gaps in law enforcement capacity, particularly in handling civil protests.
He stated that findings reveal that excessive force contributed to avoidable deaths, while some protesters resorted to arson and looting, exacerbating tensions between citizens and security agencies.
He said that, in response to these findings, the CLEEN Foundation had developed a policy brief aimed at guiding law enforcement agencies on best practices for crowd control, human rights protection, and de-escalation tactics during future civil demonstrations.
He stressed that the implementation of the recommendations was expected to help prevent unnecessary casualties in future protests.
Our Correspondent reports that the CLEEN Foundation briefing would provide
media representatives and civil society organizations (CSOs) as well as stakeholders with a comprehensive analysis of law enforcement actions during the protests and discuss policy recommendations to improve security force engagements with civil demonstrators.
Participants would also be provided with the opportunity to engage with experts on law enforcement and governance.
